Mind Thief, Body Thief
by Secret Sheik
Summary: Ino is captured by Akatsuki. Instead of escaping, she finds herself drawn to the puppet master, whether by his will or hers. Sasori/Ino
1. Augury

One of my friends requested a Sasori/Ino fic. I know, I thought it was weird too, nobody's done a sole SasoIno fic yet. But hey, anything for a friend yeah? The characters aren't mine, and this will not be accurate or canon at ALL since these two never meet, Sasori dies, and blah blah blah. It's Fan Fiction, I think you'll get over it. 

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Mind Thief, Body Thief

Part 1 - "Augury"

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She woke on a cold stone floor, her head hurting severely. Slowly, she realized what had occurred not too long ago. Someone had knocked her out, and then... then...? She sat up with a start, clutching her head and moaning as her brain ached. Overcome by soreness, she lay back down, the chill of stone reducing the swelling.

"...can't let her go, we need her."

"Danna, what good is she to us?"

"Idiot, she's a medical ninja. She can be of use to the Akatsuki."

Two male voices arguing in the background. Why couldn't they just shut up and let her sleep? Wait... Akatsuki! The black and red cloaked S-rank missing nin? Her icy blue eyes shot open when she realized what must have happened. They kidnapped her. And now they intended to use her for... for what? They needed a medical ninja. Naturally, there would be few in the Akatsuki, they didn't concern themselves with healing, probably. As she cautiously rose, her blond hair fell over her left eye as usual, and Ino glanced around at the dimly lit hall.

"Oh, so you're awake." A calm, level voice sounded behind her, the same voice she had heard first. Her head still throwing stars across her eyes from time to time, she glanced backward at the source of the voice. He was young, with short cropped red hair and expressionless green eyes, watching her placidly from across the room. Next to him sat his blond partner, and her eyes widened in shock. This other man seemed to be her male double, almost identical in appearance to her! But the comparison quickly faded as he inspected his palm and a tongue shot out from his hand swiftly. Her mouth twisted down in something between disgust and awe as she looked at the two.

"Wh-who the heck are you two?" She was afraid. Rightfully so, she was a mere chuunin rank medical ninja in a room with two S-rank Akatsuki. She didn't stand a chance.

The red haired man didn't seem inclined to answer right away, but then the blond sneered. "We don't need her, un. Why can't I just blow her up?"

But then the red haired man cut off his partner with a glare. "Shut up, brat. If we have a medical ninja, the time our associates spend on injury leave will be cut in half, and thus we would have more time to do missions. It makes perfect sense." The blond finally seemed to agree, and left the room in a huff. The strange younger looking man stepped towards her carefully, looking her over. "Hmm..." He tilted her chin from side to side, inspecting her from every angle. "What a shame. You'd never make a proper puppet. It works for fighting types, but not healing types..." He was amazed by her silence even in the face of an Akatsuki member. Impressed, even. Every captive he had taken, even Sandaime Kazekage, had squirmed and whimpered in fright before him. But she just watched as he looked her over, her gaze remaining still even though she was obviously scared. Someone like that at least deserved a name. "I am Sasori."

The predator giving its name to prey. It was wrong and yet right, a privilege reserved only for the ones he regarded with respect. Her resolve didn't falter, and she looked him straight in the eye. "Ino. And if you intend to use me as your medic nin, you can FORGET IT! I'll never do anything for you. You can kill me, I don't care." Something about being so close to death made her apathetic. Why run away from death when it was so close, breathing down your ankles while you trudged in quicksand?

"You don't have a choice in the matter." With a flick of his hands, she was drawn up off the ground, held in place by his chakra threads. "Even if you resist and try to run away, I'll just pull you back to me. I can even force you to heal us if necessary." He glanced down, still holding that cool, calm gaze. "However, I admire your spirit. I'd rather you helped us on your own. Choose. Will you be my puppet, or will you be our servant?"

Yamanaka Ino knew quite well about body control. But she also knew about being caught, and she had no choice. For the time being, she would have to help. And she'd be damned if she was turned into one of his puppets! If she had to do this, she would do so with her own power! "Fine. I'll help you on my own. Just untie me."

Sasori let go of her chin absently. "I can't do that just yet. I didn't go to all this trouble to catch you without learning a thing or two. If your hands are free, you can use the Mind Transfer jutsu to control your opponent's body. Not that it would work on me, but even if you used it on Deidara, we are always together or at least close by. Your jutsu would be completely useless." He paused for a moment, considering what he just said. "On second thought, I may as well untie you. Deidara has been out blowing things up again and he has quite a few injuries. You won't be much harm to us." His nimble hands released the ropes around her hands and legs, then he waited for her to stand. She was about the same height, and she rubbed her hands with a wince.

"I know it's useless. I won't bother to fight back." She glanced at the ground in resignation, but she was a logical person. If she got these people to trust her enough, they would let down their guard and she could escape. She intended to play this game until the pawns were in her favor. And then, when they shifted their eyes for but a moment, she would maneuver the queen to checkmate.

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A/N: A quick prologue for upcoming chapters. Short, I know, but it IS a prologue. Be patient, I'll update when school allows. I AM in college, you know, I DO have stuff to do you know. Please read and review, I LOVE seeing responses to my writing.


	2. Bitterness

It's 1:30 in the morning... I JUST finished the first chapter as I write this sentence. I hope my fingers don't fall off from typing. You know the routine: Secretsheik doesn't own Naruto, she loves reviews, and she wishes for you to read and enjoy. 

EDIT: Good grief, people seem to REALLY like this story so far and the pairing. Who would have thought yeah?

EDIT 2: OH NO am I starting to say "yeah" at the end of my sentences! CURSE YOU, MY DEIDARA COSPLAY! GAHHH!

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Part 2 - "Bitterness"

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Ino was busy healing Deidara's wounds, focusing on his right shoulder when Itachi came into the base, staring at her uneasily. She had been around for two days now and was used to people coming and going, but she had never met this one. As she finished the last of the cut, her eyes glanced up absently at the stranger, but her breath caught when she looked into his eyes. The Sharingan, and that black hair... Sasuke? No, this one was different.

Deidara noticed the confusion on her face and supplied a name. "Uchiha Itachi."

Her brow quirked curiously. "Uchiha? Like Sasuke?"

Itachi frowned, but showed no other sign of emotion. "My pathetic brother? He will never be a match for me." He turned on his heel and passed by the door with haste.

"Itachi... I remember now. He's the one that slaughtered the rest of the Uchiha clan... and then Sasuke left to kill him."

But Deidara grinned at her, finally comfortable enough to share what he thought. "Don't let that prat get to you, un. He's a vain, cocky pretty boy with a stick up his rear, un."

She grinned maliciously. "Sounds a bit like you, Deidara."

He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "He still doesn't understand art. He'll never understand the majesty of a good explosion, un."

Pein walked by the door and stuck his auburn haired head through the open door. "Deidara?"

Deidara and Ino both looked up at the same time, mirror images of each other. "Huh?"

Pein's eyebrow twitched slightly. Damn, but the similarity was scary! "When Sasori gets back, I need you to steal a scroll." He tossed a small scroll describing the mission objectives to Deidara's quickly reacting catch. "Try not to kill anyone this time."

Ino glanced up at the leader cautiously. "Maybe I can be useful for this mission? I could use my Mind Transfer technique to possess one of their ninjas and steal the scroll unhindered."

Again, that same eyebrow raised. She, a Konoha captive, was volunteering for a mission? No, he couldn't risk it. She might try to escape. It would be a perfect plan, but he was a bit too quick for her. "No, I'm afraid not. Deidara and Sasori will complete the mission."

She tried to protest, but Deidara cut her off with a sideways glare. "Of course, Leader-sama." When Pein finally left, he whispered to her carefully. "Don't get on his bad side, un. If there's anyone you don't want to piss off, it's him. Why the hell are you trying to help us, anyway?"

"To be perfectly honest... I was planning an escape."

He nodded after a second. "Danna's right not to trust you, un." But he smiled, that signature wide grin covering his face. "He doesn't always trust me either, though. Maybe he has the right idea, un."

"You wouldn't abandon Akatsuki, would you? Or abandon him?"

He scoffed. "Of course not. We disagree all the time about art, but I'd never stab him in the back, un. He's a loyal person, though a bit reclusive. You just gotta know how to handle him, un."

She leaned back, staring at him for a moment. Sasori finally returned inside Hiruko, and paused at the door to step out and send the large puppet back into a scroll. His eyes drifted lazily over his partner and Ino, then paused on her. "Are you done healing him?"

Deidara spoke up before she could. "I'm fine, Sasori Danna, we've got a mission from Leader-sama. Another scroll stealing mission, un."

Sasori paused in something resembling disgust. "Again? That's the kind of crap that Itachi and Kisame get all the time. You always end up killing everyone, I don't know why he doesn't give us solely assassination missions."

"He leaves those to Hidan and Kakuzu, un. You know how they get. I can at least restrain myself a little, un!"

"You better, brat." He took the mission specs from Deidara, glancing them over. Steal the scroll from a castle in Iwakagure, stealth mission. Deidara sucks at stealth... His eyes again flicked to the young kunoichi, and he frowned slightly. "She's coming too."

But Deidara shook his head. "Leader-sama said no. We can't have her running off, un."

Sasori's head tilted to the side with a hint of arrogance. "She's not going anywhere." With a flick of his hand, he raised her arm with his chakra strings experimentally. "Even after being away for a while, I still have influence over her. Even if she does somehow escape, I'll know it right away and return her to us. She can be of some use."

"What, use her Mind Transfer thing? She'd just run away in a new body, un."

"Idiot, she can't do anything if we have her real body under our command. Even if she goes to a new body, she can't live in it for long."

Ino decided to cut in for the sake of ending the argument. "I won't run away."

Sasori paused, then nodded. "You won't." He smirked slightly and flicked his hand again, raising her up off the ground. "You're mine now, and you'll do as I say."

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Two days were spent to find the castle in Iwa, the tall spires creeping into the shallow night long before they were in range. The tall mushroom covered trees shot high into the canopy, the enormous growths looming over their heads. Deidara led the way, knowing quite well where they were going, and he waved them forward from his position on a cliff. In the narrow cleft of a valley, the heavily buttressed compound crouched precariously over the rift in the earth, patrolled by a ridiculous amount of shinobi.

When they neared his side, Deidara spoke in a whisper. "That scroll is really important, un. I know about this place... The security is ridiculous. We'll have to let her try out the Mind Transfer. We'll never get in quietly."

Sasori didn't hesitate. "Right. Ino, go ahead. We'll watch your body."

She did hesitate, but realized this was the only way to earn their good graces. "Alright. We'll have to wait until one gets close enough. If I fail, my body would be useless for a while, so be patient." Her eyes scanned the ramparts and then the terraces, looking for one that was within her range. Finally, a female Iwa nin walked out beyond the door, her form standing quietly at ease. It was now or never. Ino held her hands out in triangle formation, focusing on the Mind Transfer. Success! She had the fortune of picking a fairly weak minded kunoichi, and the transfer went off without a hitch.

Now inside this stranger's mind, she casually wandered back into the compound, searching through the halls for the door that Deidara had mentioned. She was to look for the one with a red painted frame, near the interior of the castle. The dank, musty halls were barely lit enough for her to notice the door, but her wary eyes found it quickly. With a glance around her to make sure she wasn't being followed, she checked the door for traps. The idiots had left the door completely unguarded and no traps lay around it. They were so confident of their shinobi outside! She had no trouble whatsoever in pilfering the small scroll, hiding it away in her vest. With a glance outside the door, she walked through the hall innocently, walking back outside as if on patrol.

Act natural... She ambled back into the cold night, stretching absently. As if on a whim, she moved her host's body near the woods, looking around to see if anything was amiss. Her comrades would find nothing odd about that. Then she forced her host to trip on a rock, flinging the scroll into the forest with as much force as she could without attracting attention. None were the wiser, thinking the poor girl had merely stumbled. As her jutsu faded, she guided the kunoichi back to where she had first trapped her, leaving her mind with such ease that the girl wasn't even aware of being possessed.

"Good work, Ino." Sasori's compliments were rare, but she returned to her body to see him looking down with a complacent gaze. His glassy green eyes flicked to watch as Deidara sent one of his small birds to claim the scroll before they left the scene.

As they crept out into the forest, Deidara smirked at her playfully. "Leader-sama will be pissed that we let you come along, but he'll have to at least recognize that the mission was a success, un."

Sasori watched her closely as she walked beside them, not even seeming like she wanted to escape, and he was completely puzzled. He expected her to try and escape at least once in these days she had been with them. Out in the wilderness there were plenty of times she could have crept away while he was arguing with Deidara, or distracted by making repairs on Hiruko. Maybe she really knew that she wouldn't be beyond his grasp, always drawn back to the puppet master whether by his will... or by hers.

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Pein greeted them back at the hideout, frowning at the kunoichi as they entered. "Sasori, Deidara... you better have a good explanation for disobeying me."

Sasori stepped forward, handing over the scroll. "She was never beyond my influence, and her skills helped us accomplish our mission without any flaws. It would be in your best interest to leave the matter alone."

The leader was unperturbed by the young man's rudeness; this was simply how Sasori was. "Very well. As long as she is under control... then I will leave it up to your discretion as to how you will use her." With one final shrug to himself, he left the three to heave a collected sigh of relief.

Deidara grinned down at Sasori triumphantly. "You sure gave him a thing or two to think about, un."

Sasori glared out from under his long crimson bangs. "Shut up, brat. I have more important things to think about." He stared up at Ino, who looked just as exhausted as his partner. "Go on to bed, I'll be up working tonight."

Deidara yawned, going to his own room. "Yeah Danna, don't overdo it, un." With one final stretch, he disappeared, but Ino followed Sasori carefully.

"Hey, wait, don't you need sleep too? You shouldn't work if you're too tired."

With something akin to a smirk, his glazed eyes met her icy ones. "I don't need sleep."

She frowned down at him defiantly. "Of course you need sleep! We've been walking for seventeen hours straight! You can work in the morning."

His smirk faded into a frown. "No, you don't understand." He lifted up his long sleeve, revealing his wooden joints and each compartment in his arms. "I don't NEED sleep. I'm not even human anymore..." That next look on his face... resentment? Regret? "Never mind, you are the one that needs sleep. Go." He gave her a glare that meant this was the end of the discussion, and she was left alone to think about what he said. No longer human... replaced by cold wood and metal parts. He felt nothing, needed nothing... what the heck was he?

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Pein had changed bodies, picking the summoner. For some reason he needed to alternate from time to time to give each one rest. His long bangs drifted over on the left side of his face, and he entered the kitchen where Deidara and Ino were seated side by side. Itachi waved absently over his shoulder as he cooked breakfast for all the team members currently at the base, and Pein sat down next to Deidara. Though he was the leader, he still sat down at the same table, listening to whatever his subordinates had to talk about. Communication was important, after all.

Hidan lazily entered, his eyes barely open. "Leader-sama, where are you?" He glanced over at the table and his eyes widened in shock as Ino, Deidara, and Pein looked up at the same time, and he swore for a second that he was seeing triple. "HOLY JASHIN WHAT THE FUCK!" With one last look of terror, he fled the kitchen, screaming something about clones invading the planet. What a way to start the morning.

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A/N: Second chapter is over, it's kinda long huh? Well I did promise! Third chapter will come fairly soon, I don't have all the time in the world, you know, so please don't send reviews asking me to update. I'll do it when I can. Other reviews are read, overjoyed at, an appreciated.


	3. Concord

Part 3 already, hope you enjoyed the story so far. Hopefully some interesting things will happen to this pair! Read, enjoy, I do not own, etc. In case you are wondering what the time line is, it's before Dei and Sasori go after Gaara, but after Naruto returns from training. 

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Part 3 - "Concord"

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Tsunade stared across her desk at a frantic Shikamaru. He had nearly broken the door down before he reported the disappearance of Yamanaka Ino. The kunoichi was supposed to return a few days ago from a mission, but she never showed up. Kiba and Akamaru had tried to track her scent, but it ended abruptly, laced with scents of two Akatsuki members. Everyone feared the worst for her.

"Shikamaru, relax. I can't get a word out of you when you can't even breathe!"

He paced his breaths slower until he could form a sentence. "We lost her scent halfway to Suna, and it ended suddenly. Several scents were there, the main ones couldn't be identified, but there were traces of Uchiha Itachi and his partner."

She nodded quickly, trying to assess the situation. "Then we should assume that she has been captured by unidentified Akatsuki members. And with no trail... It would be both difficult and time consuming to hunt her down."

"Kiba has already suggested to hunt for her. They're both on leave anyway, plus they would only track her."

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "There's nothing better we can do right now with no clues or any leads at all. Even the trails of the other Akatsuki have all suddenly disappeared. Very well. Have Kiba and Akamaru track her scent, and see if Kakashi can send out his ninja dog team. The more noses on this job, the better." Her look grew stern and cunning. "But don't let them take on the Akatsuki until we're sure of her position and we can get the proper reinforcements."

He bowed stiffly. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

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Another day with the Akatsuki. Late that night, Ino walked freely through the halls of the base, allowed to roam within the compound only because Sasori had a constant leash on her. Despite the fact that these people were her enemies, she didn't feel uncomfortable around them anymore. Most of them even offered a nod or a wave in greeting as she walked past them. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought they were the same as the ninjas in Konoha. But they were criminals, banished from their villages and trying desperately to survive in a world that didn't want them. They were just... trying to live another day. She rounded the corner to the lounge and was immediately glomped by an orange masked shadow.

"INO-CHAN!!! Tobi missed Ino-chan SO MUCH!"

She tried to struggle out of his grip. "T-tobi...! Too tight...! Let me go!"

He didn't loosen his energetic hug one bit. "Tobi has been away on a mission and missed Ino-chan the whole time!"

Zetsu shifted through the floor and grabbed hold of Tobi's scarf. "Don't be bad, Tobi. LET GO OF HER RIGHT NOW."

"H-hai, Zetsu-san." He released her immediately.

"Good boy, Tobi." Zetsu turned to Ino, his white half smiling. "He got away from me. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, WILL IT, TOBI?"

Tobi looked sheepishly at the ground. "Sorry Zetsu-san."

Ino smiled as she dusted herself off. "Don't worry Tobi, I'm glad you're back." She had taken an instant liking to this Akatsuki oddball. Even when she was feeling sad, he always found a way to cheer her up again. And Zetsu... well, he was a little strange. His personalities were visibly split in half, the white side kind and cheerful, and his black side cold and calculating. Everyone had some personality division within themselves, it's just that with Zetsu you always knew what you were dealing with. You always knew what to expect from either half, since he hid nothing that complex personalities in other people would hide.

Zetsu's white hand extended down to help her back up, though his black half frowned at the thought of aiding her. He was so easy to read, predictable yet entertaining. She took his hand gratefully, and stood as Kisame entered the front door. He too was immediately glomped by Tobi.

"KISAME-SAN! Tobi missed you too!"

Kisame, as big and bulky as he was, was immediately knocked down by the young man's enthusiasm. He was also as thoroughly strangled. "GAH! Tobi, GET OFF! BAD TOBI!"

Ino grabbed Tobi, trying to get him off the poor shark man. "No, Tobi! You just promised Zetsu-san, remember?"

Tobi let go abruptly and nodded energetically. "Yes, Tobi's a good boy!"

Kisame stood shakily and grinned at her. "Thanks, Ino-chan."

She smiled, waving the incident off. "Oh no, no problem Kisame-san." She released Tobi and continued down the hall to where Sasori and Deidara had their rooms. As she neared the door frame, she heard a small explosion sound and then Deidara exclaiming to Sasori how it was art. Sasori countered with a comment she didn't catch and she rolled her eyes. They were at it again. The arguments never detoured Sasori's attention for long, and she could feel the pull of his chakra strings to see where she was.

"Come on in, Ino." He called out from the room with his odd, hollow voice.

She walked in as Deidara walked out with resignation, failing yet again to convince his danna that art was a fleeting explosion. He'd never win that argument, not against Sasori. Her mouth twitched into a small smile as she closed the door behind her. She watched as his dexterous hands inserted several small springs into one of his arm compartments, amazed at all the time and effort it must have taken him. Even so, changing himself into this artificial being... though it gave him a lengthy lifespan, it also stole his humanity. He was right - he was no longer human. "Sorry, I was just listening for a second."

He tilted his head absently, returning his focus to the compartment, sliding the face plate down gently. "I'm sure everyone in the compound heard anyway. Every single day... darn brat." His mouth quivered for just a second, almost a smile, but the subtle emotion faded quickly. "Art is something that withstands time itself."

She tipped her head to the side, her long bangs following the motion. "Maybe art is something different, neither fleeting or eternal. Maybe it's both."

His eyebrow quirked much the same way that Pein's did when he was amused. "Do you think art is something different, then?"

She thought about this for a second, weighing her answer carefully. From what little she learned in the past few days, it was that Sasori liked it when people thought about what they said and got to the point right away. He was very impatient, and didn't want to waste time on vague statements. "Art is something so absurd it can't possibly exist."

And then his half smile widened just a little more. Something about her statement amused him. "Absurd? How can you say art is absurd?"

"Anything can be art, but it has to first be seen with an artist's eye. Without the eye to appreciate it, it's merely something absurd that goes unwanted."

He wasn't prepared for such an insightful answer. At first she had seemed naive, ignorant, and useless. Just a toy to experiment with until he got bored. But this response... it was something he had never heard before. With slight hesitation, he rose from his seat. "Would you like to come outdoors?"

She smiled wide, knowing that he trusted her that much more. Really, she had only been outside for missions, and she was feeling somewhat cramped here. He must have known this, and she must have said something right to earn this. "I would love to."

Deidara must have had the same idea, but he didn't protest like he usually did, only scooting over on the roof to give them room. It seemed that the two did this from time to time, gazing out at the horizon in silence. Each of them laid back on the roof without a sound, communicating silently. The clouds finally cleared and stars lit up the sky, each winking down, a speck of tiny light in the void.

She sat up suddenly, gazing at the sky with awe. "Hey, Sasori?"

His eyes glanced over without moving his head. "Hmm?"

"I've changed my mind. True art..." Her hand raised to the sky, her finger pointing to the very stars themselves. "That is true art. Those stars have been combusting for billions of years, lasting for nearly an eternity. It's one big explosion in space, over and over for longer than we can ever imagine, fleeting and yet lasting for all time."

Forget what he said before - NOW he was impressed. He rose just as quickly as she did, gazing up at those ancient stars, his mouth parting slightly with admiration. Such creations as these mocked his own creations. The things he made were still so new, and yet these stars were here long before any of them. "You know... I think you're right."

Deidara's eyes widened, and he sat up slowly. "Constant explosions for all eternity... I think I see what you mean. Something that impressive has to be art, un."

Leave it up to that woman to make these two artists agree. Sasori grinned to himself, wondering what else this person could amuse him with. Surely someone with such a sharp mind would have so much more insight to add to the conversations he wanted to have so badly. Maybe someone like her was what he needed to feed the part of his mind that was starved for intelligent conversation.

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Itachi was pissed. Completely pissed. Someone had put temporary white dye into his shampoo -who wanted to bet it was Tobi?- and he was fuming at the breakfast table, letting his hair hang down as he combed it out. He'd deal with it until he found some black dye or this current color washed out. With a sigh, he parted his bangs to the left, still fuming as Konan cooked breakfast. Each member took a turn learning to cook, and today he was off the hook. Pein walked in still in his summoner body, and sat down next to Itachi.

"White hair dye...?"

Itachi nodded sullenly, pulling the rest of his hair into a high ponytail. "Yeah."

Ino and Deidara walked into the kitchen, and Deidara grimaced at Itachi. "Geez, who did that to you?"

He shrugged. "I bet it was Tobi... I could kill that idiot."

Deidara sat next to Itachi, and then Ino sat next to Deidara. Ino leaned over to rest her arms on the table. All were silent for just a moment until Kakuzu entered the kitchen. His eyes widened as Ino, Itachi, Deidara and Pein all looked up at the same time, and Itachi, his hair white and styled just like the rest of them, synchronized completely. "HOLY SHIT HIDAN WAS RIGHT!"

A slight scuffle could be heard as Deidara looked down at Ino with a shrug. Only two seconds later and Hidan burst in, his own mouth dropping. "OH JASHIN! THEY'RE MULTIPLYING!!" Both of them yelled their heads off as they fled the kitchen, and Konan glanced after them with disgust.

"Geez, shut up already." She went back to flipping a pancake, completely irritated. Why did she sign up for breakfast duty on Mondays anyway?

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A/N: That's it for part 3, gonna do the rest maybe tomorrow or the next day, long weekend and all. Hilarity will continue, don't worry. And so will the whole relationship thing. The requester of this fan fic just wants a "casual relationship" going on, so they won't get severely romantic alright? Good. Be patient, read and review, I love reading your responses.


	4. Damage

I woke up and checked on my fan fic as usual, and I suddenly realized that I don't remember writing chapter 3. Yes, it's registering a total blank right now, even as I read it. So if that seemed a little weird, I blame it on staying up til 2 am last night. Despite that, I like the last chapter there... I guess I do my best work at 2 am yeah? 

EDIT: -slaps self- STOP saying yeah at the end of sentences!

EDIT 2: I do not own. Not one bit.

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Part 4 - "Damage"

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Art was such a ridiculous concept, how could anyone possibly define it?

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Ino watched attentively as Sasori worked on Hiruko, reloading poisonous darts and repainting seals. Everything he did was meticulous and precise, leaving no margin for error. He was the exact opposite of Deidara, who did things haphazardly, not even considering the circumstances. In a way, she and Sasori were the same. What they lacked physically, they made up for with skill and precision.

He knew she was watching. She always made a point to walk in and observe whenever he was hard at work, but for some reason he didn't mind. At least she kept quiet and didn't insist on blowing something up. Such patience as hers was something he could never have in himself, but he appreciated it far more than she would ever know. His attention was drawn to the door as a small paper butterfly flitted under the crack and flew to his desk. The little wings slowed and the sheet of paper unfolded completely, revealing new orders.

Ino's eyes widened at the strange creature. "What is that?"

Sasori stared at the writing, but answered her. "It's Konan's technique, she uses origami as her specialty." His face shifted slightly into a frown. "Another stealth mission? Hmm... we are to observe a meeting in Suna, but only obtain information. It also says... that you and I are to go. Deidara is to take a separate mission to waylay a caravan in the land of grass. That's odd..." He looked up from the paper to meet her eyes, his apprehension showing. "I think Leader is beginning to trust you. He wouldn't give us a mission like this if he didn't count on your skill. Remember, though... I still have control over you. Don't do something stupid."

What the heck was wrong with him? He seemed nervous, maybe even a little scared. "I think I know better than that by now!"

He rose abruptly, handing her the paper. "Yes. Could you give this to Deidara while I prepare Hiruko?"

She nodded and left in silence, wondering what could have caused his strange mood. It wasn't like him to be so irritable. But she shrugged it off, pausing only to ask Kisame where Deidara had run off to. Her own question was answered before she could even ask when she heard a small explosion in Hidan's room, followed by a stream of cursing. Trying to convince someone else? She tried hard to keep from laughing as she let herself in. "Deidara-san, here is the latest mission. ...eh?" She paused as Hidan stared at her with wide violet eyes, twitching severely. He clenched one hand and pointed at her.

"YOU AGAIN! If I see ANY more of your clones, I SWEAR I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

Deidara glared lazily over at Hidan, giving up his talk on the fine art of explosion. He rose and took the slip of paper, reading over it quickly. "A solo mission? And you two get a stealth mission, un... Alright, we better go."

Hidan shot up from his seat, still pointing angrily. "HEY! I WAS FUCKING TALKING TO YOU! DON'T WALK OUT ON ME--" His words were cut off as the door slammed behind them, leaving him to gape in dismay.

Deidara walked next to Ino, and smiled down at her. "You sure you can get along with Sasori Danna without me?"

She shrugged. "He seems a little irritated right now, but he'll cheer up once we finish the mission."

His mouth stretched into a wide frown. "It's because you're going to Suna, un. He hates going there, and whenever we get a mission there he gets really cranky."

"Why's that?"

"That's the country he was originally from... He hates going back there much more than I hate going back to Iwa, un. We all get a little shaky when we go back to our own countries."

She nodded slowly, trying to digest this. "Yeah, I guess it can be a little hard when you're not even welcome there anymore. What village is Hidan from? I don't recognize the symbol on his hitai-ate."

"None of us do, and he's not talking. Since it has three marks, and there's no other information we have, we started calling it the hidden San village, un. I guess we'll never be completely sure about him."

"What about that Jashin he's always talking about?"

"That's his stupid deity, gives him immortality or something messed up like that, un. But if Kakuzu gets mad and lops of Hidan's head, he won't die, so the two have at least managed to not kill each other, un."

She looked up at the ceiling absently. "Hmmm... I've never heard of team mates hating each other so much. Kakuzu has quite a temper though, I guess he'd hate anybody. You and Sasori don't hate each other, even though he does try to stab you with Hiruko now and then. And Zetsu... mm, Tobi is his subordinate? So I guess Zetsu does things on his own most of the time?"

"Yeah, pretty much. He's a scout as well as... ermm." He paused, wondering how to word this properly. "I guess you could say... disposal, un."

"Disposal...?" Her eyes widened slightly. "What... Do I want to know?"

"Probably not." He hesitated, seeing if she would let it go, but he had her complete attention. "Zetsu is... a cannibal. He eats humans, un..."

Her first reaction was shock, naturally, but the next was contemplation. If the Akatsuki wanted a body to be disposed of, this was much safer and more thorough than burning or burial. It made perfect sense, but it was still disgusting. "That's... hmm. If you think about it objectively, it's very efficient. But..." She shuddered visibly. "I wouldn't want to be around to watch, or even think about it."

"Yeah, I don't know how Tobi can stand it, that innocent little moron, un."

"And Kisame-san...? His chakra signature is pretty strong. Itachi's is too, but in a different way. Not as massive, but powerful."

"Those two are the only ones that get along all the time. Well, except Leader-sama and his partner, un."

"And Pein is--" She was cut off by Deidara frantically covering her mouth.

"NO NO! Don't say his name! Only Konan-chan can call him that without getting killed, un."

She nodded slightly, her voice muffled until he relaxed, letting her talk. "Sorry, I didn't know. Erm... then Leader is Konan's partner. Are they... together?"

His lone eye stared at her uneasily. "Tsch, yeah, all the time."

"No, not like that. I mean... romantically."

"Beats me." He shrugged and picked up his Akatsuki cloak from the chair in his room, shifting into it as he snatched his bag of clay off the desk. "It wouldn't surprise me. He tries to act like he doesn't care, but he can't keep that up forever, un. We're all still human inside, and he can't get rid of his emotions just by willpower, un."

She stood outside the door, watching as he left the room for the outer door, intent on leaving right away. As she waved him off, she wondered about what he said to her. None of them could deny that they were still human. Not Kisame, or Zetsu. And not even Sasori, as artificial as he was. Own no weakness or fault, or so they told themselves. It was a cold, deluding lifestyle.

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The moment they entered Suna's territory, Ino instantly saw a change in Sasori's stature even though he was inside Hiruko. He became more agitated, jerking forward almost angrily as they trudged through the sand. His eyes constantly scanned the sky, never ceasing until dusk. Sand piled everywhere for miles around, and they were forced to camp literally in the middle of nowhere. As the sun slid down the horizon, Sasori looked even more agitated than before.

"The temperature in the desert can get below freezing at night. We need to find you some shelter."

She glanced all around, but there wasn't even an abandoned outpost in sight. "Nothing but sand all around. We'd never find a place in time."

He fidgeted a bit more. "I can't believe this. They must have torn down the outpost that used to be here."

She tried to be reassuring, though the circumstances were grim. "Well, you've been away for a long time, right? Don't worry, I'm sure there's... something we can do."

Hiruko's brow furrowed for just a second before the top of the puppet opened up and Sasori motioned to her with one hand. "I hate to have to do this, but you'll need to take shelter inside Hiruko until dawn. There should be plenty of room."

She peered inside the deep puppet, noticing that his slight frame only took up about half the space inside. Her own small body wasn't much bigger than his, and she managed to fit with enough room to spare. "Hiruko is so fascinating... Can it really protect us, even if a sand storm hits?"

"Yes, of course. I do have to come here from time to time..." He looked to the side suddenly, not really wanting to talk about this place. But then he removed his Akatsuki cloak and tossed it to her. "I don't need it right now. I don't feel the cold, but pretty soon you will."

The symbol of Akatsuki... the black cloaks with red clouds. She examined the coat curiously before draping it over herself, wondering who designed it. Secretly, she thought that the red clouds were a beautiful addition to the otherwise boring coat. "Thank you."

He nodded once, looking agitated yet again, hesitating once more. "Ino..."

"Hmm?" Her head lifted slightly.

"Do you... want to go back to Konoha?"

Her eyes widened suddenly. "W-what?"

"I don't miss my old village, but I know that you do. You can... you can go after this mission if you really want." His eyes were sincere, though they still held that same impassive gaze.

She considered this carefully yet quickly. "I should. They're probably searching for me already, but if I come back they won't be as interested. If the Akatsuki doesn't want to be found, then I better not stay with you much longer."

He considered something for a long time, just watching her face as she stared back at him. What did she see when she looked at him? Did she see someone that crossed the boundaries between the real and the unreal, or did she see something else? "That's too bad. I was starting to get used to you."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere just yet." She smiled kindly, reaching out to touch his hand, but she hesitated. What if he didn't like being touched?

He hated being touched. Maybe he was so obsessed with his own security, but whatever it was, he hated the thought of being touched. He hated it when people were repulsed by his appearance, when they paled at the sight of his modifications. Every time they did that, it was an insult to his art. But the way she hesitated wasn't because she was afraid of what he was. She hesitated for his own sake, out of consideration for his feelings. Selfless thought given to this selfish creation. He... didn't mind if she touched him. With a gentle tug of a chakra string, he brought her hand down on top of his, allowing her to feel the cold wooden texture, smiling slightly at her. It was a genuine smile, if small. She returned it in kind, smiling back, not at all taken aback by what he was. Despite how many real parts he replaced with fake ones, he still held his soul, and it was more apparent to her than anyone else. Little by little, the wounds in his heart might finally start to heal.

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A/N: That's it for now! Yeah, I know, kinda short, but I like to keep them that way so I can update a little faster. Patience! I'll probably get the next chapter done sometime tomorrow, I hope. Read and review please, I love comments!


	5. Eclectic

Fifth chapter, are you excited? You should be, yeah. I do not own, and be sure to enjoy. BY THE WAY: Yes, I am making up a lot of techniques that I'm having her learn. The Naruto universe hasn't shown us a ton of techniques yet, and I want to add on a few. Ok? Good. 

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Part 5 - "Eclectic"

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Each Akatsuki member came from a different nation, with the exception of Pein and Konan who both originated from the country of rain. In a way, it was both sobering and encouraging to see that these people with different pasts and ideas came together for a single purpose. They were one organization made up of different components. Even Konoha, with its attempts at alliances and peace, couldn't boast that they had brought so many different ninjas together in the same room, much less had them work together. Pein was a man of great charisma and skill.

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The mission had been an astounding success thanks to Ino's resourcefulness. She had been able to gather more information than they expected to find. When they returned to the base, she and Sasori were called into Pein's office to make their report.

Ino stayed by the door silently as Sasori approached the leader. She was still considered to be a subordinate, and she had no right to go any further. Sasori nodded his head respectfully and handed a list of information. "Leader-sama, the mission has gone better than expected. As you can see, the report we have is very long."

Pein's slate gray eyes darted from Sasori to the papers, then back to him again. "Yes... Excellent work. Your... assistant has proven very useful." Assistant. Not subordinate, not servant, something more respectful. "But you intend to release her, correct?"

"Yes, sir. We suspect that her comrades in Konoha have been trying to track her scent for some time now. Although we've managed to mask the actual trail, some spots can't be completely covered up. If we release her, her friends might not be as eager to chase us down."

His brow twitched slightly, though from amusement or irritation neither could tell. "I'm afraid not. Even if we release her, they will want to take revenge upon us. We may as well keep her around."

Sasori frowned slightly. "I know that you are satisfied with the work she is able to complete, but we need to take her feelings into consideration. We can easily remove the knowledge of our location from her mind and release her without a problem."

Pein's eyes widened more than either of them thought possible. "Her feelings? Since when do you care about anyone's feelings?"

"You should have realized by now, Pein." A low female voice sounded from the corner and Konan appeared from the darkness. "You may have forgotten what emotions are like, but not all of your associates are quite as willing."

His frown deepened. "This is exactly why I have put emotions aside, Konan. If we weren't concerned for her feelings, we would have another member in the group."

Konan smiled serenely, slightly amused. "You are so ridiculous sometimes. She's no longer under Sasori's control. The chakra threads attached to her have been severed. She's been helping us of her own free will as soon as that mission ended. There was no need to even have this discussion."

His eyes were already as wide as they could go, so his eyebrow raised to make up for it. He focused his senses on the young kunoichi and sure enough, there was nothing holding her to the organization's control anymore. "You... What do you intend to accomplish by remaining here? Why didn't you try to escape while you were released?"

Ino glanced at Sasori briefly before stepping forward and nodding. "I don't want to betray either you or Konoha. After being here with the other members for a while, I've realized that you're all just trying to survive. It's what everyone wants! Even if you throw away your emotions, you still have the need to survive. Throwing them away won't do any good. It's because of my emotions that I'm able to understand what you're going through. Maybe if you thought about it, you'd realize how much we all have in common."

Sasori was about to apologize for her outburst, but Pein held up his hand to silence him. "No, don't apologize." He rose from his desk and approached her, getting close enough to look her in the eye, close enough for her to sense the immense chakra radiating from him. "Do you really think it's that easy? How can you tell me that emotions are any good for settling differences?"

Konan approached so she stood behind and to his left. "Haven't you noticed? Deidara and Sasori have been getting along perfectly not long after she arrived. Not to mention she's the only one who can control Tobi when Zetsu isn't around. Her compassion is what has been holding the organization together when it was threatening to come apart."

He scoffed under his breath. "What are you talking about? They're all loyal to the organization, they wouldn't break off so easily."

She sighed, still smiling serenely. "It's a good thing I'm here to notice these things. What you impose upon yourself can't always be imposed upon the others. Instead of eliminating emotions, sometimes you must make an addition to balance them out."

His mouth twitched slightly, but he nodded with acquiescence. "Perhaps. If she is so useful, then... all the more reason to have her stay. However..." He turned back to look Ino in the eye again. "I suppose it would be... gracious of me to ask politely. Would you stay with us a while longer?"

She thought about this for a moment before answering. Pein, just like Sasori, preferred careful answers and thorough consideration. "It's true that I miss my friends and family, but here I've made new friends, and... almost a new family. If you promise not to send me on any mission that would harm Konoha, I will stay. I would still be Sasori's subordinate, right?"

He backed away in contemplation, giving her space. "If that is what you wish. Although..." He frowned again in thought. Orochimaru was gone. She could... oh but then he would have to explain to Tobi... Still, they needed another member. "You could just as well work as a member in your own right." Ino and Sasori both gasped slightly, and even Konan looked shocked.

"Pein, is this wise?" The blue haired kunoichi looked concerned.

He nodded slowly. "If she's as useful as you say, then I don't know why it wouldn't be. However, if you choose to become a full member, you can never go back."

Ino weighed the proposition carefully in her mind, comparing the pros and cons. She could never return to Konoha or to her old friends. Were they even her friends? Sure, she had been on a team with them, and they had helped her in fights, but did they really know her for who she truly was? Did they respect her intelligence? She had done so much for them, but they had given so little back. In the short time that she had been with the Akatsuki, she had learned that these people survived only because they knew how to work together. That, and she had found people who respected her abilities. Even the Hokage constantly underestimated her, giving her all the easy missions and never testing her limits.

It meant nothing to her anymore.

"I accept."

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The initiation of an Akatsuki member required a majority vote, but surprisingly everyone except Hidan had voted yes. The violet eyed man had eventually agreed, still insisting that she was some kind of clone. Tobi had disagreed of course, having tried to get into the organization for quite some time. Being Zetsu's subordinate, however, he didn't have any say in the matter. After the vote she was given her own cloak and hat, though she was free to choose what she wore underneath. She decided to follow Konan's example and chose plain black shorts and a woman's mesh shirt. Konan had even found a spare pair of boots to give her until she found her own. Dressed in the regale of the Akatsuki, she suddenly felt more at home than she had in years.

The second half of the initiation required a formal but short ceremony, though she was told that she wouldn't get a ring just yet. When Orochimaru left, he took his Akatsuki ring with him and it would take some time to make a new one or steal the old ring back. She had accepted this graciously, understanding the circumstances. Perhaps someday she would be the one to steal it back, maybe even give Orochimaru what was coming to him.

All she needed now was a partner. The only person without a partner was Zetsu, but he went alone as a rule. Pein had told her that for the time being she too would work alone until she found herself a subordinate. Until then she was encouraged to go from team to team, learning as much as she could about the organization and any techniques she could use. After a skill evaluation later on, she would be able to refine her techniques until she found her own specialties. It would be challenging but satisfying work. She was also told that this would be nothing like the ninja academy back home. None of them would go easy on her. She didn't want it any other way.

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The final task - leave word that she hadn't been captured, but had joined Akatsuki willingly and she would never return. With the final task complete, she sliced a line across her forehead protector, abandoning the unsatisfactory life behind her.

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Her first day as a full Akatsuki member sent her to train with Itachi and Kisame. Itachi was to teach her the shadow clone technique and then both were to test which elemental skill suited her best. They had been shocked by the lack of ninjutsu in her assortment of skills, though her knowledge of medical techniques was reassuring. If she could learn such precise arts as those, she could easily learn some basic elemental skills.

Itachi showed her a quick sequence of hand signs used for the shadow clone technique. "Focus your chakra, and remember that each clone you make has your chakra evenly divided amongst the clones." He watched as she tried each hand seal slowly, increasing in speed as she caught on. "Right. Divide your chakra, separating yourself into separate minds. Concentrate, and release. Kage bunshin no jutsu!" A puff of smoke shot out as he divided into two clones, showing how each one was a separate entity instead of a regular clone. "The most important thing to remember is to use as little chakra as possible."

She nodded slowly, forming the seals over and over until she was fast enough. Then, focusing her chakra carefully, she divided it into two sources within herself. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Another puff of smoke and she stood there panting but successful. Her chakra endurance was low, and she had used a bit too much to make the clone. With practice, she could do it, and Itachi nodded at her.

"Not bad, you did make a clone." He dispelled his clone and inspected her own. "You used too much chakra, but you succeeded the first time. With practice, you will be able to make as many as I can." He looked her in the eye appreciatively. "Your chakra stamina is only a bit less than my own, so we should start small with the elemental techniques. Kisame?"

The shark nin grinned widely and walked up to Ino. "Right." He focused on his chakra sensing and inspected her carefully. He had a talent for sensing the elemental affinity of other members as well as enemies. "That's odd... she's a lightning type."

Itachi frowned slightly. "We'll have to send her to Kakuzu when she gets more specialized, then. In the meantime, we can show her the basics." He looked one more time at her before whispering something to his partner. Kisame grinned even wider, nodding once.

"Maybe, Itachi-san. We would have to raise her stamina quite a bit for that."

Ino dispelled her clone and looked at them shakily. "W-what?"

Itachi cut off her question with a glance. "I won't get your hopes up unnecessarily. Let's start with the basic elemental skills. Do you know any fire techniques?"

"No, but I do know one water style technique."

"Show me."

She nodded and formed two quick seals, noticing that they had located near a source of water. "Water style, diving heron!" From the river behind them, an amorphous heron rose from the water and extended its wings outward. She maintained it as long as she could before dispelling it.

Kisame watched with his trademark sneer and chuckled. "That's one of my techniques too."

"Yeah, I saw you use it a few times during training, and I practiced it when nobody was watching. Sorry, I just wanted to learn a few new things..."

He took this quite well, laughing louder. "Nah, don't worry! It takes a bit of skill to do that one, I'm actually impressed by you, Ino-chan. Too bad you don't have my stamina, but... you didn't use as much chakra as I need to. You're more precise."

Itachi nodded appreciatively. "Exactly why Leader offered to let her in, I'm sure. Alright, now for a fire style technique." He watched her slightly shocked, tired look with a bit of amusement. "You're exhausting your chakra already? We're not going anywhere until you learn the basic five elemental styles."

She only grinned widely. "I don't want you to go easy on me! Come on, I can take it."

He nodded before continuing. "Good." His hands formed a set of fire seals before he put his hand to his mouth, spewing an immense fireball. "Fire style, grand fireball!" The heat of the enormous flame burned a few of the trees in the area. "Alright, your turn. This is simpler to do than the diving heron. All you do is collect your chakra and release it into fire energy. The hard part is maintaining it. Even I can't maintain it for very long, but I want you to try. Remember to regulate your chakra carefully." He showed her each seal slowly and she tried them experimentally. There were only a few hand signs, relying mainly on the expulsion of chakra from the body.

"Where did you learn such an interesting technique? I think I've seen it before."

His brow furrowed slightly before returning to neutral. "Being from Konoha, I'm sure you have seen my brother do it. It's an Uchiha specialty, though many ninja can do the technique at a standard level."

"Oh..." She remembered Sasuke. That jerk who left Konoha to be with Orochimaru, not trusting his own kin to train him properly. Just like her. She finally sympathized with why he left, why he needed to abandon everything to learn more about himself. Her hands flew angrily in the hand seals, and her voice cracked as she said those words. "Fire style, grand fireball!" She didn't hesitate for a second to release the fire imbued chakra, her anger taking form in this explosion of flame. As expected, the technique only lasted for a couple seconds before her chakra couldn't maintain it. She fell to her knees, exhausted. "Did... did I get it... right...?"

Itachi's eyes widened, but he frowned slightly. "You're angry. Don't let your emotions overcome you. Sometimes it can cause you to use more chakra than you have, and then... well, you could die. Anger is useful, but don't get carried away. We need you at your best at all times." A compliment hidden inside criticism. She knew better than to expect more from Itachi. Back home she would have been praised excessively and then told to go home and rest, but Itachi was ruthless. "Alright, next up is earth style. I'll keep it simple so you can use your remaining chakra safely." He formed only two seals, then focused on the ground below. "Earth style, quaking sands!" The ground below turned to quicksand, sucking down a few more trees and rocks. The seals he used were simple, and she learned them quickly. "Focus your chakra so that it breaks the dirt into sand."

She nodded curtly before sending her chakra down into the ground beneath a large rock. "Earth style, quaking sands!" The dirt beneath the rock pulverized into fine sand, turning into quicksand and sucking the rock underneath. This time she fell to both her hands and knees, panting and sweating. It shouldn't have been this hard! "Why... why did this drain me so much more than the other techniques?"

"You have an affinity for lightning elementals, and earth style is the opposing element. If you try a lightning technique and then an earth technique, even if they are the same difficulty you will always be severely drained by earth style. Techniques of other elements will depend solely on the difficulty and will not be affected by your affinity. Lightning techniques will drain you the least. Are you ready for wind style?"

He asked this time. But he knew how badly this technique drained her. "Yeah... I'm ready."

"Alright... don't worry, this one will be a little better." Three seals this time, ones she already knew. "Wind style, hurricane gale!" Sharp slices of wind swirled out into the forest, chopping off branches in a circular shape. "Release your chakra in a circular motion, using the same kind of force as the fireball."

She stood up shakily and formed the seals. "Wind style, hurricane gale!" The air around her barely shifted, and she looked around in dismay. "Did I do something wrong?"

Itachi's sharingan activated and he gestured to her. "Do it again." He watched with the sharingan as she tried one more and failed. "Hmm... it's alright. It seems you can't use wind style." He deactivated the sharingan and nodded reassuringly. "Don't be too upset, there are things I can't do either, but you did the rest perfectly. I'm sure if you try a lightning style technique you'll do just fine."

She nodded hesitantly, knowing she couldn't be perfect. None of them could. "Lightning, like the chidori?"

"The chidori is somewhat crude, but useful. I don't know it, but I do know one good technique to start you off. You only need one hand seal and decent chakra control." He flicked his hand up to the one seal and focused carefully. His own style was based on fire, and he wasn't too skilled at lightning or water techniques. "Lightning style, electrocution ring!" Bolts of lightning swirled around his body, shooting off into the ground. He staggered slightly, his energy draining. "It's a good defensive skill, but it drains me too much. Use your chakra to circle yourself with lightning, but make sure it doesn't actually touch you. Be careful."

She straightened up, focusing on using her chakra as efficiently as possible. "Lightning style, electrocution ring!" Blue lightning circled around her violently, the effect being far more severe than she expected. When Itachi used it, the lightning had looked almost sluggish compared to what she was now doing. So this was what elemental affinity was truly about...

As soon as she completed the jutsu, a cloaked figure approached her from behind. "You're doing much better, Ino."

She looked around to see Sasori standing behind her, smiling slightly. Her legs quivered but she managed the strength to smile back, one eye closing with pain. "You'll see... just how much better I can get... soon enough..." She finally blacked out, collapsing on the ground. No, they would never go easy on her. She didn't want them to. This pain was glorious pain, this blackness from exhaustion was a thrill. Her limits were made to be broken, excess was meant to be redefined.

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A/N: Woo, long chapter. Hope I didn't shock you too badly with the lame techniques I made up. But hey, a shock shield is pretty cool darnit...

Yeah anyway... read and review please.


	6. Fabricate

First of all, RELAX! I'll get to the relationship stuff, don't worry. Plus Ino is gonna become MUCH more useful. Taking Akatuski's "Do it now or I'll kill you" training regimen will toughen her up! Don't worry, the training will get much more interesting once you see what I'm gonna do with her. Patience! And yeah, I'm making up most of the techniques that everyone is using. I don't have a whole lot to go on, you know...! You also won't see much of what's going on in Konoha for a while. Why? Ehhh they don't really matter. P I'll also be back to doing schoolwork (darn) most of the time so don't expect my usual daily update. I AM in my last year of college, can't screw up now, yeah? 

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Part 6 - "Fabricate"

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Tsunade's expression was something between utter shock and rage. Kakashi's dogs had finally found a trace of Ino, though it hadn't been in the way they expected. Pakkun had found a note explaining Ino's willing departure from Konoha and that she would never return. This had come as a great surprise to everyone except the insightful Tsunade. She had a good hunch why this happened.

"Kakashi..."

His silver haired head tilted forward subtly. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

Her mouth pursed into an angered frown. "Call off the search. Not only does she not want to be found, but they have gone to the trouble of hiding their scent trails. I hate to let our ninja go off so easily, but there's nothing we can do. Until Akatsuki slips up and shows themselves... all we can do is wait."

He started to protest, but thought better of it. "I hate to agree, but you're right. We have no idea where they are, but I suspect their base isn't even in the fire country or anywhere near it. If they don't strike us directly, we have no reason to pursue them. And with Ino willingly gone, we can't even use the excuse that we're looking for a captive. We can't go into the other countries with no excuse. I just wish it didn't have to come to this..."

She clenched her teeth and threw her chair out the window yet again with rage. "Dammit..."

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Ino woke to the sound of boxes being shuffled around and metal clinking on wood. She opened her eyes slowly to see Sasori at work on a small part for a puppet she didn't recognize. Her head hurt from the excessive use of chakra, but in a way she couldn't possibly have felt any better right then. For the first time in her life, she had used so much chakra that she passed out. She watched him work from where she assumed was his bed. He didn't need to sleep and probably worked all night as he kept an eye on her.

He noticed that she was awake and turned to face her. "You almost missed breakfast."

She rose carefully, rubbing her hazy eyes. "Morning. What are you working on?"

His hands went back to repairing the small part before he answered. "This one... is my favorite. It's one of my strongest puppets, and the one that took the most effort to obtain."

Her eyes drifted over the careful woodwork and she smiled. "Did you name this one too?"

He hesitated slightly. "He is... Sandaime Kazekage..."

Her breath caught in her throat slightly. "...Kazekage? The... the leader of Suna? Didn't he disappear or something?"

"That's what everyone said." His eyes flitted up to her with an anxious gaze. "But he didn't disappear, he's right here. He is part of my collection now."

She couldn't quite understand what he was implying. "What... what do you mean?"

His mouth tensed into a wide frown. "He used to be human, but I made him into a puppet. His soul has long since left us, but his body... you're looking at it."

"You... can make people into puppets? After they die?"

"Yes." He glanced at her again, not wanting to tell her exactly how these people had died. "I will take bodies that are already dead and... reuse them. It's much more useful than letting them rot in the ground..."

At first she felt disgusted by this, but then the logical side of her brain took over. It was similar to someone donating a part of their body after death to be used by medical ninjas in a transplant. Or was it? "Did they give their bodies willingly?"

Now that she asked outright, he had to answer truthfully. "No. But I don't intend on making those anymore. Something about it just doesn't interest me anymore."

"Do you feel guilty?"

"Maybe... I do. I don't know, I thought I couldn't feel anything anymore." He turned more in his chair so he could face her fully. "You've made me wonder, though, if I really lost my capacity to feel those emotions. What you said to Leader about throwing away emotions really made me think. I've come to appreciate your insight and I suppose all I have to do now is accept that emotions can't always be erased."

She leaned forward, looking at him closely. "Well, it's like what Itachi told me yesterday. As long as you don't let your emotions get the better of you, they can be useful. You just need to learn how to control what emotions you have and make better use of them."

He was intrigued, and watched her with an entranced gaze. "Can you teach me?"

Her eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. He really didn't know anything about this! But, she reminded herself, if his body was fake he was probably much older than he appeared to be. Despite this, his social development had apparently been stunted. "I promise I'll do what I can. But first, you can't shut yourself up in your room all the time. Come down to breakfast. I know you don't need to eat, but you can come to talk."

He thought about this for a moment and stood up. "Alright." She stood shakily, her nerves still spasming from the mixed signals being sent. In the kitchen Deidara was cooking breakfast this morning and he waved absently.

"Yo Danna, un. W-wha..." He took a second look back over his shoulder. "Hey, did you come to watch me cook?"

Sasori took a seat near the door. "Yeah, I wanted to see how it was done."

His lone blue eye looked startled but pleased. "Alright, I'll do a good job, un. Ino-chan, how did it go yesterday?"

She stood nearby, watching him. "Not too bad, I learned how to make shadow clones, and then a few basic elemental techniques. I really need to work harder today."

He smirked at her. "Don't push it too hard, un. Here, taste this."

She eyed the concoction warily before tasting it. It was a strange kind of omelette with mushroom and cheese. "Hey, not bad!" The mixture suddenly made her feel a bit more energized. "Wow, what's in that?"

He took a bite himself, his words muffled by the food. "Mushrooms from Iwa. They really perk you up in the morning, un. You could easily make three or four shadow clones after a bite of this stuff! Come on Ino, I want to see you make a few clones!"

"Maybe after I've eaten the whole thing." She laughed lightly and waited for the food to get finished. It wasn't long before she had a full omelette and a completely energized body. "Those are serious mushrooms! I feel great!"

He smirked and cheered her on. "Clone, clone! Make a clone, un!"

She laughed again and nodded. "Alright, I'll try!" Her hands flew easily into the seals for kage bunshin, and she was more confident about the technique today. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" With a poof of smoke, she managed to make four complete clones. "Oh! I DID IT! I made more than one!" She rejoiced but so did all of her clones, filling the kitchen with noise. Hidan walked into the kitchen sleepily but completely freaked out as the Ino clones surrounded him, talking in unison. "Hey Hidan!"

"GAAAAAHHH! I TOLD YOU SHE'S A CLONE!" Hidan ran out the door screaming his head off.

She watched after him with a puzzled expression, dispelling all her clones. Of all the Akatsuki members, this guy was definitely the strangest.

------

Today was the day that she would learn how to specialize in her own element. Kakuzu was the only Akatsuki member to have multiple elemental talents, and also the only one to have lightning as part of those talents. He was an imposing personality, often getting angry at anyone who stayed around him too long. Hidan was the only one he couldn't kill, and the only partner he could have. She knew well what she was dealing with, and she kept a calm, polite demeanor in his presence, never angering him.

When she arrived at a nearby clearing, she sat passively and spoke softly. "Kakuzu-san, good morning."

He grimaced only slightly, but was placated by her polite nature. "Hnn... Ino-chan. They told me you have a lightning affinity. Sasori also asked if you wouldn't mind if he watched your practice today to get a feel for how you're doing."

She kept her eyes to the ground, her demure posture not at all threatening or arrogant. "I would be pleased if he did so."

He tilted his head back and whistled into the forest and Sasori crept out from the dense woods, seating himself near the edge of the glade. He too knew how Kakuzu could be, and made sure to sit quietly and observe. Kakuzu then focused on a pair of hand seals, showing her another technique. "Lightning style, grand spark!" His hand raised as his chakra manifested into a large lightning storm, sending waves of bolts down on the other side of the clearing. "Use your chakra to stir the clouds, but be careful not to overdo it."

She nodded serenely, repeating his hand seals with precision. "Lightning style, grand spark!" Her chakra seemed to explode slightly as the storm deepened, her practiced control being the only thing that kept the storm manageable. Whatever had been in those mushrooms really did the trick.

She must have voiced this out loud because Kakuzu was grinning at her. "Those mushrooms had caffeine in them, you know. Much more powerful than a cup of strong tea. No wonder you seemed so eager to start. Alright, since you seem to be so confident, how about I show you something more interesting?" He stood up suddenly, raising his hand to the sky, not even using a hand seal. "Lightning style, raging tempest!" The clouds seemed to swirl with anger, twisting and warping down as lightning streaked down into his waiting hand. The strands of lightning curled around into a ball that he held above his head, letting the strands arch down into the dirt as they continued to swirl. When he ended the technique, he glanced down at her with a nod. "You don't need a hand sign for that one. Just gather your chakra and send it up like a spear, dragging down the lightning with it. The hard part is gathering it in your hand without injuring yourself. This technique is useful if you're being attacked by multiple enemies and you need a quick kill."

She stood up in the same position as he had, raising her hand to the sky, trying to get the feel of what it was like to send chakra beyond herself. "Lightning style, raging tempest!" It was a difficult process, but required the same kind of control and precision that her medical training had provided. She lanced straight into the sky, yanking the lightning down just like he had, and held it in a large orb above her head as the frantic threads of lightning shot around her. The effect was much more pronounced than the way Kakuzu had used it, and the thrill of holding such a fickle element in her control overjoyed her. She held the technique as long as she dared, then stared down at her uninjured hands in awe.

Kakuzu chuckled with amusement. "Not even a scratch... I wonder why nobody taught you anything like this before."

She clenched her hands with angst. "I have no idea."

Sasori finally approached her. "You did well, Ino, but you need to see Deidara for the second half of your lesson today. I'll be by soon. Go on."

She glanced up, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Alright." Then she bowed graciously to Kakuzu before departing. "Thank you for the lesson, Kakuzu-san." She exited the clearing silently, knowing this was how he preferred things.

After she left, Sasori was able to speak confidentially to Kakuzu. "She managed to pull that off even better than you did."

"Hnn... Well, I do every elemental technique, so I suppose I do them all equally. I can't compare to one with a single affinity, though I can do their weakness with more power. Even so, I can't help but wonder why nobody thought to teach her any decent ninjutsu."

"It's simple, really. She's female, plus she was raised in a very protective village. These past weeks have been really sobering and harsh on her, and she's getting stronger by the day. I don't think she even realizes how much potential she has."

"She's growing... she could have made a powerful ninja for her village if they had only realized it."

------

The second half of her training that day involved Deidara showing her how to use lightning techniques against earth techniques. Sasori showed up just in time to watch as she summoned two shadow clones, each entity splitting off in different directions, dodging rocks shooting from the surface of the earth. She summoned lightning bolts to counteract some of the earth jutsu, nullifying it completely. Sasori watched from above, lost in thought as he saw this girl progress.

How much would she improve in these coming days? What more could she be capable of, if she had learned so much already? Kakuzu was definitely right - she would have been a powerful foe if they hadn't gotten to her first. He leaned forward suddenly as she finally exhausted her resources and fell to the ground unconscious. He couldn't help but chuckle lightly. She lasted much longer than yesterday. The day was still young, and he lept from the tree to retrieve her, picking her up and taking her back to his room. As he let her sleep, he watched the calm expression on her face, that lingering smile. That was what happiness looked like. His face twitched as he tried to imitate the gesture, widening into a real smile. He liked the way this felt.

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A/N: Another long one! I just keep going! I blame my friend for this, darnit. Darn you for making me think of this interesting story! Now I have all kinds of ideas, grrr. Well, be sure to check out what happens next as the relationship grows a little stronger. Ino will be getting a practical test of sorts!


	7. Gaffe

Holy bananas, if this really the seventh chapter? I've never written anything so long since "Mages of Azulan" which was my own original fiction. Nobody's even read it yet except a few friends, I don't even know why I wrote it in the first place. Whatever. If you all wanna read it, I can slap it up on Fiction Press. Moving on... big things are gonna happen for Ino. Konoha has basically given up on her since nobody really cares about her anyway (seriously, hasn't anyone else noticed this?) but she will come back with a grin and an can full of whoop-ass as a special present. Well... not TOO much, we don't want her to be severely overpowered. It will still be cool. 

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Part 7 - "Gaffe" (Are you learning new words just from my chapter titles?)

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Ino woke not to sound, but rather the lack of. She had grown used to the endless clink of metal on wood as Sasori toiled on his creations for hours on end, and this sudden silence concerned her. Her body protesting her every motion, she managed to sit up and look straight over into Sasori's green eyes, noticing that he wasn't moving at all. He was just sitting there, staring, watching, not even glancing at the half-built contraption on his desk. And she didn't know whether to be amused or worried at the huge smile on his face. She decided on neither emotion, opting for a look of confusion as she rubbed her tired eyes.

Sasori held stock still, his voice level. "You weren't out quite as long this time. It's still only afternoon. Are you going to rest for the remainder of today?"

She managed enough energy to grin and force the tired fog from her eyes. "No way. I don't want to take the easy way out, I told you that before. I'm sick of being sheltered. It's like I told one of my friends long ago... the flower that blooms in the face of adversity is often the most attractive. I can't give up when I'm just a small bud."

He looked amused, and nodded. "You must find your own way to blossom."

"Yeah... the leaves may get a little torn, but they'll grow back. I have to give it my best shot."

He considered something for a long time, his eyes taking on the penetrating stare that she knew he took when he was about to entrust her with something. "Leader sent a mission for me, although I must say I would feel better if you helped. I would like to see you in a mission that will have confrontation, and see you put your skills to use. It's only a few hours away from here, and we could get there by dusk. Would you like to come?"

Though she was still somewhat tired, she was confident that she could recover by the time they arrived. "I'd be just fine as long as we take a steady pace. What's the mission?"

"Thievery as well as assassination. It doesn't matter if we kill the whole place, our client only wants to make sure the leader of the compound is dead. We are to go kill a feudal lord just a ways over in the grass country. While we're there, we shall steal whatever we can. Our client has been gracious and told us we can keep whatever assets we can carry back as well as what he has already paid us. I would recommend killing the entire compound off and taking whatever we can manage."

She nodded with a grin. "Good thing Kakuzu wasn't given this mission, he wouldn't have made it back with all the things he'd take!"

He smiled that odd, wide smile again, trying to mimic her grin. This emotion was teasing, playful. He stashed that one in his memory. "We can fit quite a bit inside Hiruko if I remain outside him. Either way, we need to hurry if we want to get there by dark. I would prefer to attack at night."

"Good idea." Her stomach betrayed her and she grinned warily. "Guess I'm hungry. Who's making lunch today?"

"Everyone else has left for the day, only Leader is around. He's been moping in the kitchen and hasn't been eating. Even Konan left."

She grinned mischievously. "Well, I bet I can get him to eat something! Come on, let's go cheer him up!"

"Do you really think he's depressed?"

Her head tilted to the side in thought. "Well, maybe not, but starving won't do him any good. I'm a pretty good cook, so it's worth a shot." She smiled again, easing herself off the bed and made sure Sasori followed her to the kitchen. With one more grin, she stared down at Pein contemplatively. He had changed bodies once more, switching back to his usual handsome body with short cropped hair. It seemed to be his favorite. She stared at him contemplatively and he stared back at her, a completely blank look on his face. "Hmm... I wonder what kind of food you'd like..." His slight features and spiky hair looked so familiar but she couldn't quite place the resemblance. But in the back of her mind, something clicked, and she knew what to make. She grinned down wickedly at Sasori, and Pein could have sworn the puppet master would have blanched if only he had some real skin left.

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Ramen. It was all Pein could talk about the rest of the day. He had been skeptical at first when the foreign meal was placed in front of him, but the moment he took a mouth full of the decadent mixture, his eyes widened suddenly and he ate the bowl with inhuman speed. Sasori watched with an almost sickened gaze, shocked at how the oh-so-polite and stoic leader could be reduced to such a desire for food. As soon as he finished off the whole bowl, he stared up at Ino, his appreciation showing even as he remained silent and impassive. She had instantly guaranteed her usefulness to the Akatsuki.

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The mission was simple: Go in, kill everything, steal anything, get out. For a while this was how the mission had gone, the border guards taken out quickly and the outer defenses easily breeched. Inside, however... that was the problem. Hundreds of jounin-level ninjas had been placed as inner guards, and although they fell by the dozens, they just kept coming and Sasori and Ino had been pushed to their limit. In an act of desperation, Sasori had finally brought out Sandaime Kazekage and used the iron sand technique to finish off what remained of the jounin. Whoever this feudal lord may be, he was rich enough to be so overly paranoid.

They ran to the highest tower, Sasori using himself to fight inside the narrow stairwell. At the top, there were hundreds more to fight off when Ino spotted their target. Wedged behind several menacing jounin was the young lord, watching with a sickeningly scared stare as Sasori eliminated ten jounin at once with his poisoned scythes. In the confusion, Ino darted around the room, evading each blow as much as possible, her old medic training kicking in. Her hand straightened and glowed with lightning imbued chakra, her swift fingers darting into several vital nerve centers. Quick and precise, the jolts to these nerves were fatal, and by the time she landed the final blow on the young lord, she had felled at least thirty of the men in the room.

Silence. Her adrenaline subsided and she looked back to see that Sasori had been badly damaged. His head had even been knocked off, but he was still looking at her as his chakra threads searched for other missing parts. She ran to him with concern but he looked up at her without worry. "I'm alright." He smiled again, his grin trying to extend, but then she noticed that a piece of his face was gone. Despite that he smiled, his chest sending out more chakra threads, pulling his head back onto his neck and screwing it into place. Detached fingers, broken compartments, everything was put back into place, but she still looked worried. His brow raised with surprise. "What?"

She knelt down next to him, her eyes looking pained. "You really scared me there for a minute. I thought I might have lost you."

He smiled again, chuckling. So he did remember how to laugh... it felt so strange to hear it coming out again. "Even if I get broken into a million pieces, I will always be able to put them back together again." That expression on her face was hard for him to define. He hadn't seen anything like it, though he saw the emotions that lay underneath. Fear, worry, a slight bit of anger, then leftover fatigue from the adrenaline. Yet the overlying emotion remained a mystery to him. It was something that made her look close to tears as she daringly touched his face, lingering over the broken piece with longing-- wait, longing? That must be what it was... right? But why?

She must have been absolutely nuts. Maybe she had been under the influence of all that adrenaline, all those emotions cramped into that room in a matter of minutes. Something overcame her and made her do what she did next. Not even hesitating, she leaned over and kissed his mouth cautiously, not sure how he would respond. His eyes widened with shock at first, but closed instinctively after a moment, allowing her to continue. Instead of pushing away or getting angry, he actually kissed her back, unsure of this strange new experience, letting whatever remained of his instincts take over at that moment.

Awkward silence. Nothing happened for a good ten minutes as they stared at each other, Ino blushing furiously and Sasori staring up in shock. The long trip back to the base would feel much, much longer now.

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A/N: That took me a whole hour to write. Oh yeah. You better like this, oh friend of mine. You better.

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The two arrived at the base just as every other member was returning, the whole group finally making the place feel less empty. Neither of them could look at each other for a long time, even once they entered Pein's room. Sasori stepped forth as usual and presented both of their reports.

"Excellent work again Sasori, Ino. I trust you had no problems?"

Sasori smirked slightly, catching Pein off guard. "Other than the damage you see, the mission went as planned. I will need tomorrow off for all the repairs to get completed."

His steely eyes drifted to Ino next. "Ino, you don't need to hide in the corner. Come."

She nodded and bowed respectfully once she approached him. "Yes, Leader-sama?"

He looked her over, scanning from head to toe. Not a scratch on the girl. Their report listed at least two hundred jounin in the compound, yet she didn't look much worse for the wear. Exhausted, naturally, but... whole. Very strange girl. "You must have learned well how to dodge attacks. You don't have a single wound."

Her eyes glinted with pride for only a second. "As a medical ninja, I was taught that the main thing I needed to have was evasion skills. Each squad only has one medical ninja, and what happens if that ninja is taken out?"

He nodded, appreciating the logic. "Of course. So you took on as few enemies as possible while focusing on the target, leaving Sasori to take the brunt of the attacks. A wise move, which shows you know his abilities well."

She chanced a glance up at his desk, but not his eyes. Never his eyes. "I have done all I can to learn the abilities of every member I have met so far, and I have learned each one's mannerisms."

"Yes... I heard that when you trained with Kakuzu this morning, you didn't anger him even once. It's admirable. Even when I approach him, I somehow manage to anger him eventually. Tell me, what have you learned so far?"

"Kakuzu is very short tempered indeed, but as long as I behaved and did as I was told, he was very patient and understanding. He seems to favor courtesy even more than he values currency. Deidara is excitable and erratic, quickly going from one emotion to the next, leaving little time for others to adapt. As long as I am able to change with the situation, he can be very agreeable. Itachi is calculating, precise and resourceful. He doesn't have much in the way of chakra reserves like his partner, but he uses them more efficiently. His mood is neither volatile nor entirely pleasant, and it is best to keep neutral. Kisame... well, pretty much anything goes with Kisame."

Pein's mouth twitched slightly and he nodded. "That's true. You've done well to learn about each member so carefully. Perhaps..." Then he jutted his chin out slightly, tilting his head in thought. "Perhaps I will have to do so myself. I admit I didn't know some of what you have told me. I won't keep you any longer. You are dismissed."

Sasori and Ino nodded, speaking simultaneously. "Hai, Leader-sama." They departed hastily into the hallway, her heels clicking lightly as they rounded the corner into the lounge. As she flopped down on a couch with exhaustion, she grinned up at him slyly.

"Guess I did alright, huh?"

Sasori smiled slightly and sat beside her. "Leader seems to respect you quite a bit after all that work you put in. Keep it up and he might even train you himself."

Her eyes widened. "You really think he'd do that?"

"You've been trying hard to get on his good side, and I think he's noticed. Not that you're trying to get any favors, it's an honest effort, and he appreciates that. He hates it when the others do things for him just because they want something. You have given so much, and asked for nothing in return except acceptance. Because of that, he's given you what the others have had to work so much harder for."

"Respect... I have his respect."

"And... you have mine." He smiled reassuringly and glanced at her sideways. He really meant it. After all this time, she had gained his rarely given respect.

She blushed slightly, although that made her remember something else that had been very awkward, and she blushed even harder. "Uh... I... I'm really sorry for... for before. I mean... w-when I uh..." Her throat clenched and she couldn't say it.

He stared for just a second, thinking of what to do. What was he supposed to say? Truthfully, he didn't mind what she had done. Heck, he wondered if he might have liked it, as strange as it had been. On second thought, yes, yes he did. But he couldn't be so blunt. "You don't need to apologize. If I had been angry or upset, I wouldn't have let you do it at all." She stared down at the ground and he felt like he should say more. "I liked it, actually."

Now she looked back up at him, eyes widening slightly. "Really?"He smirked again, wondering how he could convince her. Without thinking, he pulled her close and kissed her again, making sure she understood well exactly what he thought.

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A/N: That's all for the moment, gonna get back to the schoolwork again (lame) and I'll be sure to write more later on tonight or tomorrow, whichever it happens to be. Be sure to stick around for the fun!


	8. Habiliment

I never thought this would get past chapter 5. But this may well continue until either I get bored or the story is complete. I'm not sure, really! Well, I hope you're enjoying the story, the relationship is FINALLY starting. I know, I know, it took forever. Remember, though... Sasori is kinda a cold fish, he has to warm up slowly after all. 

I blame my friend for making me write this much. This obscure, effeminate, convoluted little tart of a man is glaring at the back of my head, demanding more. And so, people, you will be getting more. The blame is all his. And I'm keeping the fluff mild for his sake, yeah.

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Part 8 - "Habiliment"

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Today, Ino woke with a sense of fulfillment, her mission having gone well, her body fully energized, and even a new love interest. Although it was strange, to say the least, she had thought about it for quite some time and didn't regret it one bit. She was over Sasuke. The day he left, she knew it was useless. Why waste time on someone who didn't care? Why give a darn about the guy who would rather spend his time with that snake guy? Orochimaru... as much as she hated to think about running into Sasuke again, she was still determined to claim the last item she needed to seal her fate as an Akatsuki member. She needed to get the ring back. No, not yet. He was a Sannin, accompanied by both Kabuto and Sasuke, whose powers were now unknown to her. Who knew how much Sasuke improved? She had to wait until she had earned the right to train with Pein. Patience.

This was the day she was to train with Hidan, and later in the afternoon get passed to Konan for another evaluation. As she sat on a stone platform, waiting for instructions, Hidan was staring at her, his eyebrow twitching violently as he stared at her. After a good ten minutes of constant staring, Ino felt she needed to say something. "Hidan-san, what are you going to train me about today?"

He muttered something that sounded like "freaky clone girl" but regained his composure. Pein was making him do this, he might as well get it over with. "...hand-to-hand."

Finally, something interesting! She rose and took a close combat stance, ready to strike. She'd take it easy at first, just to see how skilled he was. His eye twitched once more before he threw his weapon aside and took his own stance. It was clear what the rules were to be. No weapons, hands only, non fatal. But then he grinned slyly. "Do your worst, not like you're gonna kill me!" Oh, right. She'd try to do fatal, then.

A flurry of hands and feet filled the stony clearing for close to an hour, neither faltering for a second. Ino didn't intend to give up, even if her body gave out. She'd still fight on, doing anything to progress. She managed to leave several would-be-fatal shots on Hidan's resilient form, him grinning at her all the time. He stopped suddenly once the sun had reached the top of the sky, holding up his hand. "We're done."

She panted heavily, disappointed. "What, is that all you got?"

His eye twitched as an angry vein pulsed in his head. "WHAT!" But he calmed himself. Don't kill, don't kill... Leader would be pissed... "No, you... need to be ready for Konan-sama later. She'll do much worse than this. Just get out of here!" He sneered, glaring down at her until she left. What a troublesome girl!

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Ino had been asked to make lunch again when she encountered Pein in the hallway, and his nearly rabid eyes had gleamed with hunger as he asked for ramen again. She had smiled hesitantly, agreeing to do so, but the second she agreed, somehow the entire complex had been alerted to this and she had to make enough to feed everyone. With everyone's eyes bugging with surprise and even Konan smiling at her handiwork, she smiled to herself, glad to be useful and appreciated. Each member gave their own personalized comment, but she noticed that Sasori was missing from the table. He didn't even come to watch? As she left the room to let everyone else eat, she crept down the hall to find him.

"Sasori Danna?" She had also just decided to adopt this term that Deidara had used for the man, now having the same amount of respect for him.

She heard a low voice from inside. "Not now, Deidara..." then a muffled "darn brat..."

But she peeked inside slowly. "No no, it's me."

He turned his head slightly to look at her. "Oh, Ino. Come in."

She smiled a bit and closed the door behind her. "We missed you at lunch. I made ramen."

His eyebrows raised slightly. He used to love ramen a long time ago. "I haven't had that in quite a while. Did they like it?"

She smirked. "Leader can't stop talking about ramen, I think I got him addicted!"

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "None of us can cook very well, I'm sure they haven't had a good meal in years that was made by a member. They'll probably make you cook every meal from now on if you keep impressing them."

"I don't mind, really. It just means they'll take away the rest of my chores." She winked slyly and lazily stretched. Those other chores were boring anyway. Let the others do the sweeping or dusting. She'd do cooking any day over that!

"I'll make sure to come watch next time. Did it go alright with Hidan?"

"He's kinda strange, but he's really good at close range combat. I learned quite a bit from him. He told me that Konan will go a lot harder on me, though."

He nodded. "She's tough, don't underestimate her. I don't suppose I need to tell you that underestimating a female is stupid." His mouth quirked into a grin.

She grinned and looked over his repaired face idly. "Neither of us will make that mistake."

His look was somewhere between amused and calculating. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

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Konan, the only other female in the Akatsuki, watched Ino carefully as they sat across from each other, the blue haired woman placidly still. Finally, her low, serene voice rose above the wind's whispering.

"I will see what you have learned so far. And then I will teach you about things that apply only to female matters." She glanced up significantly, implying what that meant. Ino was reaching that age where she would start that monthly cycle, and it could happen any time now. That, plus any other matters that an older woman could advise her on. True, she was a medical ninja, and knew a few things already, but it was good to have someone more worldly to learn from.

Ino bowed slightly. "Hai, Konan-sama." She wasn't sure whether to call her that. She had heard everyone use a different term, whether it be chan, san, sama, or no suffix at all. She decided to use the most formal, just to be safe.

Konan looked at her with a slightly amused look and removed a small paper dragon from her cloak, letting it grow with the use of her jutsu. "Very well. Let's begin." The dragon extended to the size of a small house and Konan jumped on top of it, forming a seal that Ino didn't recognize. Paper... Ino thought about this strange jutsu. If all she could use was paper, then maybe there was a way to work with that. Paper was prone to fire and water. Fire burned it, and water made it a soppy mess. This was obviously a test of her elemental skills. With a grin she made the seals for the grand fireball as she darted from side to side, trying to hide the seals. As she swept under the might wings and clawing talons, she was able to keep her jutsu out of sight.

"Fire style, grand fireball!" Her sudden fireball caught the upraised wing of the paper beast, burning a large hole as Konan released a small water attack. The wing fell off in a mushy heap, the rest of the monster retaliating furiously. A water technique wasn't very useful when there wasn't much water nearby, and as she dodged each attack she tried to think of something. Maybe she could use her chakra to make water? It was worth a shot. But how? Maybe combining a few things? Theory and application were so different... but she needed to adapt to the situation.

It was either do it or wonder later what might have happened if she did. No use waiting until later, now was the time to act! Forming combination seals and coming up with a catchy name for this monstrosity, she combined lightning and water into a strange mixture of a jutsu. "Elemental crossover, trembling maelstrom!" Ok, maybe not the best name. It still worked! Water gushed from her, soaking the entire creature as lightning circled around the water, shooting easily into the wet paper. Konan jumped off at the last second, her eyes wide with shock. This girl shouldn't even know that elements can be combined. Who had taught her this?

Ino suddenly fell to the ground, drained severely by that attack. Well, she HAD done something horribly stupid like use a technique that she wasn't familiar with! Good thing Konan wasn't an enemy or this would have been a horribly one-sided battle. But to her surprise, Konan approached her slowly, smiling down at her. "Not bad, little flower, but you should be more careful next time."

She opened one eye painfully but managed to smile. "That was pretty stupid, huh?"

The blue haired kunoichi sat down in thought, wondering about it. "Stupid, yes. But if you can combine elements like that, I'm sure you can easily adapt to several situations. Tell me, who taught you how to do that?"

"Nobody. I... made it up."

"Mmm... yes, maybe that was very stupid. Next time, go to Kakuzu if you want to learn to combine elements properly. Not the best idea to do so in an actual battle. Are you able to get up?"

Her body twitched as she tried to move, but she couldn't. "Guess not..."

"That's alright. We can still go over what we ladies have that the men don't." She winked mischievously and continued. "We can't always complete our missions through brute force. What we have to compensate for that is charm and manipulation. Fool the enemy, make them slip up, and slit their throats when they aren't looking. Sometimes that is the best way to complete a mission. We can use our sex appeal to make those boys do whatever we want." She grinned wide, confiding all she knew about this subject and Ino blushed from time to time, taken aback by Konan's blunt nature. By the time their session was over, Ino's face was beet red but she knew more about the benefits of her gender. Konan then helped the young kunoichi back to her feet and led her back to Sasori's room to lay down. Horribly exhausted, she didn't even notice that he had sat down next to her to move her bangs away from her face as she fell asleep.

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She woke just before dinner, in pain everywhere and dizzy. It was definitely stupid to try combining elemental techniques, but at least she knew it was possible. Oh but her head hurt so bad! Something cold and wet was placed on her forehead and she looked up to see Sasori placing a wet cloth on her brow. Although he smiled, she could tell that he knew about what she had done today, and he'd probably say something about it.

He hated waiting. He wanted to know about what happened! "Ino... You're suffering from chakra depletion, but I heard what you did. You'll be a little dizzy for a while."

She winced, nodding. "I already am. But I did it! I knew it would work in theory, but I just had to see for myself. I got a little carried away... next time I won't make the attack so strong unless I feel up to it."

He only chuckled, brushing away her bangs again. "You keep pushing yourself so hard. Don't overdo it too much. Although, once Leader heard that you managed to combine elements on your own without killing yourself, he insisted on getting you trained in the proper use of it. A few sessions with Kakuzu. Think you'd like that?"

Her eyes widened, and shut again when they hurt too much. "I'd love to do that! Even if I can't use the non-lightning elements very well, I might be able to combine them enough to make it work. The water and lightning seem to work pretty well, since getting anything wet makes it more susceptible to lightning. It's like... I don't know..."

"A catalyst?"

"Yeah! Ughhh but I really hope it doesn't make my head hurt so bad anymore! I really need to stop waking up with a headache every day."

"Then relax, go back to sleep."

"I-I can't, gotta... make dinner for everyone..." She tried to get up.

He chuckled again, holding her down. "No, you need to sleep. Don't worry, Konan is making dinner tonight. She was inspired by your cooking and she's doing much better. You just rest and I'll bring you a plate, alright?"

"I'm not very hungry..." The dizziness was too much to bear, much less thought of eating. She opened her eyes again, but the bright light made her head hurt worse.

He nodded, placing the wet cloth over her eyes instead of her forehead. "Rest your eyes, you can's strain them just yet. Go ahead, go back to sleep. I'll take care of anything anyone needs from you. I'll be right here." He reached out and held her hand supportively. She knew he was telling the truth, and she smiled slightly, willing herself to rest. Tomorrow, she'd make it up to everyone for missing dinner. Maybe she would make curry!

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A/N: Yeah this is all for now. I've been both sick and tired, plus overloaded on crap to do. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon, filled with more strange techniques for people to use. Origami dragon win! I make origami dragons, so I'm sure Konan can too. Although I don't think she bothers to make 3-headed cranes like me...


	9. Imbroglio

Wow, that last chapter was interesting. I wonder where I got the idea for that technique name... maybe I'll never know. You'll see a lot more made up jutsus, so don't whine please. I'm just going off whatever has been shown in the series so far. It's not a big help, yeah. Hey, at least I can say that I'm writing the longest (and almost only) running Sasori/Ino fan fic. That's gotta count for something!

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Part 9 - "Imbroglio" (An intricate, perplexing state of affairs)

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Oh yeah. She was REALLY sick of waking up with a headache every day. But after making blueberry muffins for breakfast and watching everyone inhale them in a matter of seconds really improved her mood. After the table had been cleared and she exited into the hallway to let Tobi do the dishes, Pein pulled her aside to talk to her.

"Ino... Tell me, did the ninjas in Konoha ever teach you how to summon anything?"

Her eyes nearly bugged out. "Summon! No, of course not!"

"Hmm..." He stood there staring for a long time, but he didn't move. All she could do was stare after him and wonder just what she was getting herself into.

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Ino sat across from Kakuzu in the same clearing as before, her eyes downcast and her form still as always. She maintained her silence, letting him speak first.

He watched her with a frown, but spoke kindly. "Now you want to learn how to combine elements? Hnn... Better than doing it on your own again. But first I should explain what elements can be combined together. It seems you already learned that lightning and water go pretty well together. So do water and earth, then earth and fire. Fire and lightning would be a bit redundant, though you can combine those. An example would be mixing fire and earth to create a volcano, or using wind and water to create a hurricane. To a lesser extent, of course. Wind can be combined with anything but lightning. You following me so far?"

She nodded slightly, her tone calm. "Yes, Kakuzu-san."

"Good. What you found out the hard way is that combining two different types of chakra can not only deplete you severely, but it can confuse the chakra within yourself. You should only use it once you have years of experience or no other options. I want you to swear that you won't do it solely on a whim."

She nodded again, hanging her head apologetically. "I swear I won't."

"Hnn..." He rose, and formed several elemental seals as he spoke. "Watch, girl, so you know just what you're dealing with." He made sure she was watching before he shouted out the name of the technique. "Four corners, Apocalyptic surge!" Four different colors of chakra spun from his hand, earth, fire, water, and wind. The name for the technique was very appropriate, as the combination of four elementals seemed to shake the very ground and air around them. It was a terrible power. When he released the technique, he was visibly exhausted, and turned to her quickly. "I'm over 200 years old, and it still exhausts me. Do you understand now?"

She watched with awe, an nodded yet again. "Yes, Kakuzu-san."

"Good. Then let me show you something more basic that you can practice when you wish." First his hand formed a strange orb of water, and afterwards, lightning chakra started to swirl around it. "See, if you layer your elemental techniques instead of threading them together, it's not only more efficient but it's easier to do if you're in a hurry. You don't need a hand seal, just summon the water, and THEN the lightning, letting one overlay the other."

She held out her own hand, summoning the water chakra first. It formed a sloppy orb in her hands, not the clean, crisp sphere that Kakuzu had, but she tried harder, letting it morph until it was close enough. Then she tried layering lightning chakra over it, letting it snake wildly around the orb, its intensity stronger than the lightning around his orb. Elemental affinity was such a strange thing... she definitely needed more practice.

After practicing the layering of elements for hours, Ino was exhausted yet again. Hopefully since she had exhausted her chakra first thing this morning, it would replenish by night and she wouldn't have to wake up with a headache tomorrow. She was grateful to be back in the kitchen cooking lunch finally, horribly tired and really needing to do something mindless for a while. She looked back briefly while she worked on a steaming pot full of cooking vegetables to see Sasori watching her quietly from his seat at the table.

He watched her silently for a moment, then spoke softly. "Can I try?"

She glimpsed at him with widened eyes but nodded and stepped to the side. "Sure. You really want to learn?"

He picked up the spoon and stirred the vegetables idly. "I was always interested, but nobody here knew how, so I couldn't learn from them."

"Alright, but don't tell anyone what I'm making! I don't want all of them watching too." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm making beef and broccoli with my own secret sauce!"

She would NEVER know how he had heard this, but suddenly Pein burst through the door, his brow perking up suddenly. "Beef and broccoli..."

She sighed with resignation and shooed him away. "Get out! I'm trying to work over here!" The leader frowned slightly. He had a reputation to keep up, darnit! He wasn't about to be chased out of the kitchen by this little kunoichi. But seeing that he wasn't budging, her face contorted with anger. "I SAID GET OUT! You can come back when it's done!" Pein backed away and into the wall, slipping out the door. Women were scary...!

Sasori watched with amazement, one of his chakra strings extending to a second spoon, stirring another pot full of noodles. "...you scared off the leader..."

She put her fists on her hips, jutting her chin out triumphantly. "Darn right I did! Tsch..." She turned back around to watch as he grabbed a pot lid with another chakra string, setting it down on boiling rice. She couldn't help but be impressed. "Hey, that's pretty handy... How many things can you control at once like that?"

He kept his eyes on the food cooking in front of him. "Since they're coming directly from my heart and not my hands, I'm not limited to only ten objects. I'm only limited by the amount of chakra that I have within myself. So... basically, it's limitless as long as I have enough chakra."

"And you can control people, too. I remember that you did that with me at first. So can you control anything a person does if you connect a chakra string to them?"

He smirked and chuckled. "Sorry about that, by the way. And yes, I can pretty much make them do whatever I want. Most ninjas aren't strong enough to resist. And even if they can resist, they can't hold out very long."

"So the trick is being able to reach them in the first place."

"Exactly. If I can't even touch them, then there's no point. The only things I can actually reach out and grab with the strings are inanimate objects. If I want to control the living, it's a bit harder. So how did it go today? Better?"

"Yeah..." She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "Kinda missed having you there to watch."

He shrugged apologetically. "I had to get a mission done this morning, and then I picked up another list for the next one. I'll be going towards Konoha soon..."

She tensed suddenly. "You... you will?"

His green eyes flicked down uneasily. "Yeah. I didn't tell you before because I wasn't sure how you'd react. But now I guess it doesn't matter. You don't look like you regret leaving. Do you ever think about it?"

She nodded, quite serious. "Sometimes. I don't regret it, but I still think about it. But it's so much better here. I get to train every day until I can't stand up anymore, I get missions that actually make me break a sweat, and I get twice as many injuries to heal than I ever did back at the hospital! These people didn't try to shelter me or tell me that I was useless, they just took me in and made do with what they were given, tempering the steel until it was purified. I don't regret leaving Konoha, leaving my friends behind. Not even that lazy idiot could ever make me come back. Damn Shikamaru..." She had promised herself she'd never say that name again, not after all she'd been through with Sasori. But it felt good to vent, and she allowed herself to say it.

Sasori's eyes drifted back up. "Shikamaru? Oh, I think his group is the one I'm supposed to intercept. He uses some sort of shadow possession technique."

"Yeah, that's him! That jerk... Wait... you... you're going to intercept his group?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yes. In a few days. It's a solo mission, since you said before that you didn't want to harm Konoha..."

She grabbed all the finished food, putting it on serving dishes as she considered the circumstances. By the time the food was served, she made up her mind. "I want to go too. I have to sever the last of my ties to that place. I have to know once and for all."

Know what, he wasn't sure, but it was important to her. He couldn't help but be concerned, though. "Are you sure?"

She nodded resolutely. "I'm sure." She didn't grin like usual as the members piled in at the smell of food, stuffing it down with open pleasure. A grin would be too much in this cold, calculating silence inside her mind. She had to put her past behind her. She had to put HIM behind her.

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There were still a few days left, and between then, Kisame and Itachi had yet another scroll stealing mission. This one, however, piqued Kisame's interest, and he grinned with glee at his partner.

"Hehe... Seems like you were right, Itachi-san. Leader will teach her how to do THAT after all... How did you know she'd make it?"

Itachi only muttered a soft "Hnn..." and let it go. He knew all along what her potential was. He knew everything about things like that. Nothing escaped his perceptive gaze for very long.

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In the days that led up to her last confrontational mission, Ino had trained even harder than before, if that was possible. She crammed everything that the other members could teach her into her mind, trying so hard to earn the right to be taught by the leader. The same day that Itachi and Kisame had come back from their mission, Ino was immediately called into the leader's office. Her heels clicking all the way down the hall as she ran, she couldn't help but have a wide smile on her face. Wait til he hears how much she learned!

Pein sat at his desk as usual, though he was alone this time. He was concentrating on a scroll and waved her over to come look. "Ino, good, you're just in time. I was hoping to get you to look at this before you go on the next mission."

She walked over to look at the scroll, but all it seemed to be was a long list of names next to a strangely written seal. "What the heck is that?"

"It's a summon scroll. If you write your name here in blood and seal it with your chakra, you will be able to summon the creatures that are bound to this contract."

Her eyes widened at the idea of summoning ANYTHING. "Th-that's amazing... You really think I can summon something?"

"You'll need to practice, of course. The creature you summon is only as powerful as the chakra you put into each summoning. But you're a medical ninja, and you know how to regulate your chakra better than anyone else around here. I think you can do it."

She hesitated, and took out her kunai to prick her finger. He was entrusting her to be a secondary summoner... right now she'd be the only one besides him to do it. She had finally earned the greatest trust of the leader... Without any further hesitation, she pricked her finger and wrote her name on the scroll, sealing it with her chakra. Tomorrow... that would be the day they were to intercept Shikamaru... Just you wait, you jerk, she thought to herself. I'll show you just how useless I am!

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A/N: Cliff hanger! Seriously though, I need sleep. I'll also draw a picture of her main summon beast and put it on my Deviant Art page once I finish. I'll let you know when the link will be available! 


	10. Jeopardy

No art yet for Ino's summon beast, though I do have a plan. No worries! I'm making a couple fake manga pages, and they will take some time to make. In the meantime, enjoy the story. I know you all have been wanting fluff, and fluff you shall get! Well, as soon as this battle is over. This IS Akatsuki after all. They have to do missions and training, just trying to make this seem realistic yeah?

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Part 10 - "Jeopardy" (Exposure to death, loss or injury. Peril, hazard, risk.)

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"Kuchiose no jutsu! (Summoning technique!)" For the fifth time that day, all she managed to do was summon a tiny lightning elemental horse, and she hung her head in desperation. "I just don't understand how summoning works..." She had been practicing the new summoning technique as she and Sasori walked to the intercept point somewhere in the forests of Konoha. Can't give up, she kept telling herself.

Sasori walked beside her, keeping within Hiruko for the moment, and he wished that he could give her some tips. "I don't know anything about summoning. I do remember hearing that summon beasts appear depending on the amount of chakra you put into it. If you only put a tiny amount of chakra in, you keep getting those small, weak creatures. If we weren't about to intercept your old friends, I'd say use as much chakra as you can spare. You still barely have more chakra than Itachi does..."

"Yeah, I know..." She frowned slightly, putting a bit more chakra into the seal. "Kuchiose no jutsu!" This time a small horse about her height appeared, just large enough to ride. "Hey, look! I did better this time!" The strange elemental spirit glowed with a lightning imbued mane and tail, its body glowing like an ethereal beam. Its eyes glowed blue and yellow, and bolts of lightning flew from its hooves as it stared at Ino.

The creature nickered softly and... spoke?! "You hold the pact... I will serve."

Ino jumped back in surprise. "DID THAT JUST TALK??"

Sasori paused. "Now I remember... Orochimaru used to do something like this, except he made a pact with snakes. After he left, only Leader was a summoner. Orochimaru could summon the serpent lord Manda, though he could barely control that monster. Manda would always demand a hefty sacrifice before he would do anything Orochimaru wanted."

"Oh! Do you think these creatures will demand sacrifices too? And how do you know Orochimaru?"

"He used to be my partner before he was kicked out of Akatsuki. These creatures probably don't require a sacrifice, I don't think Leader would burden you with such a thing. As long as you don't summon something you aren't ready for, you'll be alright."

"Orochimaru used to be in Akatsuki...?" She took a moment to send the horse back to its domain, not needing it for a while yet. "What could possibly get an S-rank criminal kicked out of an organization like Akatsuki?"

"Well, he tried to... use Itachi's body. He was obsessed with gaining use of the Sharingan, then he attacked Itachi. He lost, of course, and I remember that Itachi used the Tsukiyomi on the guy. Didn't wake up for a whole week, and when he did, Leader kicked him out."

"Oh... yeah, makes sense. Although, Kakuzu has killed all his partners so far, why didn't that get him kicked out? He pretty much did the same thing."

He paused for just a second. "No, not quite the same. Orochimaru attempted to steal Itachi's body, but he failed. Kakuzu succeeded in killing his partners. Leader has always reasoned that if Kakuzu's partners were weak enough to be killed, then they deserved to die. But when Orochimaru failed at taking over Itachi's body, this rule didn't apply and he was considered the weakling. So, attempting and failing to kill another Akatsuki member will get you expelled. Hidan can't die, and so Kakuzu can lop that guy's head off all day and nobody will care. There's no risk of him dying, so it's not the same as attempting to kill Itachi."

"That's really complicated!" They were near the intercepting point, and she gritted her teeth resolutely. "Almost there. Ready?"

Hiruko couldn't grin, but she got the sense that he would have if he could. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm always ready. I have to face him once and for all. I can't run away."

He paused significantly, thinking this over. "He was more than a friend, wasn't he?"

She clenched her jaw, flushing slightly with frustration. "I thought he was. But in the end, I know they gave up on looking for me. When Sasuke left, they went looking for him even though he left willingly, giving himself up to Orochimaru. But they never came to look for me. Neither of us would have been easy to find, but why did they give up on me and not him? Why didn't they realize what they... what they lost..." Her voice cracked and she stared at the ground, tears falling down her cheeks. She shouldn't cry. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to prove that she was worth saving.

He unsuspectingly voiced her thoughts. "To them, maybe you weren't worth saving. But to me, you're worth it."

She glanced back at him, biting her lip nervously, but she smiled through her tears. "Yes, you knew from the start what I was worth. You never gave up on me, you knew what kind of potential I had. Maybe that comes from working on those strange human puppets of yours. But if that's what it takes to know someone's value..." Her fists clenched furiously. "If it takes an enemy to know me better than a friend, then I don't want friends. I only want you, I only want this new family of mine. Whatever he was to me before, it can't be that way now. You're the one I need."

He hesitantly emerged from Hiruko to hug her gently, knowing that crying people usually needed to have a shoulder to cry on. True, he was only just beginning to understand why such things were important for other people, but he wanted to do it for her. She clutched his cloak and let herself cry, not caring what anyone thought. He was the only one there, and she knew he cared about her. He wouldn't callously abandon her. Once a creation of his had been perfected, he never laid it aside for something better. Instead he maintained it, keeping it just as perfect as the day it had been completed. Only he could possibly understand the kind of maintenance she required.

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Shikamaru was leading his team of three through the forest at top speed, wanting to reach the dropoff point for a scroll as soon as possible. This was so troublesome. Following him were Chouji and Sakura, each just as anxious to get this over with. They were to deliver this to the grass country, but there was no guarantee that they would go by unopposed. For a long time the forest had been suspiciously silent. Something wasn't right.

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"Kuchiose no jutsu!" Ino poured as much chakra as she dared into the summoning seal now that Shikamaru was in sight, and her face contorted menacingly as she stared into his shocked eyes, enjoying the fear in his gaze. Beneath her rose a large lightning elemental horse, though this beast had two heads and an enormous stature, the lightning racing from mane to tail as it reared its twin heads. This wasn't the boss of the lightning horses, of course, but it was still a fearsome demon, hooves pawing the ground and tail flicking behind in a raging fury of thunder. Sasori stayed behind out of sight. She had wanted to take these people on alone, and he watched hesitantly, ready to step forth if she needed him.

Ino jutted her chin out haughtily and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not going anywhere! Give up now before I kill you!"

From Ino's high vantage point, none of the Konoha nin could recognize her. From behind Shikamaru, Sakura muttered softly. "Isn't he that Deidara guy we saw in the bingo book?"

Shikamaru paused, but shook his head. "Looks like him, but the book said he comes from Iwagakure, and I never heard of them having lightning ninjas. Although, there's nothing saying he couldn't be. For now, we shouldn't assume anything."

Sakura barely heard his thoughts, and she stood forth, looking up at the stranger and shouting. "Well whether you're Deidara or not, all I need to see are those red clouds to know I have to kill you!"

Ino's eye twitched slightly. Not this again. Why did everyone think she was Deidara? She jumped from her place on the horse demon's flank and landed on a cloud of dust in front of Sakura, glaring up at her defiantly. "I'm not Deidara, forehead girl."

Sakura backed up suddenly, shocked to see this person that she hadn't seen in months. "I-Ino, but... but how?"

Shikamaru held Sakura back with one hand. "She joined Akatsuki, but... hnn... she's not our friend anymore. We have to fight her." He gestured to Ino's slashed forehead protector, his brow furrowing visibly. "It's so troublesome..."

Ino grimaced, her fist clenching. "And I suppose it was too troublesome for you to come rescue me? You went after Sasuke when he left, why didn't you come after me? Is it because I don't have the Sharingan, or I don't have noble blood, or is it just because you don't care about me? Were you glad not to have me clinging to you all the time, Shikamaru? And Sakura, you no longer had any competition for Sasuke. You didn't even have that when I was around, you never saw that I wasn't really going after him. I would have ended up with that lazy bum over there if only I wasn't too much trouble to deal with."

Shikamaru scowled and pushed Sakura behind him. "Leave her to me. He glared behind him to lock eyes with Chouji, who merely nodded in acceptance. "You two take the summon beast." He watched as Ino nodded to her creature, letting it take care of the other two nin, focusing her attention on this person she had once respected. That bastard, always making her wait because it was too troublesome. Perhaps Sasori's impatience had worn off on her, but she didn't care. She was sick of this.

The two formed seals at the same time, Shikamaru trying to use his shadow possession technique and Ino dodging and using her grand spark, letting the energy surround her hand as she darted from side to side, jabbing at him and him trying frantically to dodge her attacks. She used to be a long range person, focusing on trying to control the mind of whoever she was up against. He wasn't expecting her close range tactics to be so much better! In fact, it looked like she had no intention whatsoever of trying to control his mind, focusing solely on short range taijutsu and elemental attacks. This was like fighting a completely different person.

As their battle raged on, Sakura and Chouji were doing their best to take down the demon horse, Chouji using his expansion technique to grow to the size of the monster and Sakura evading kicks from the mighty hooves. They even managed to knock the beast down, but in the confusion, Ino's concentration faltered for only a second. In that brief second, Shikamaru used his shadow possession, freezing her in place. She glanced at him not with shock or fear, but anger. Even as his shadow extended into a hand around her throat, her eyes never changed emotion, looking at him with manic rage. He scoffed at her. "To think I used to care about you--"

He was cut off as a sudden flurry of black rushed at him, grabbing his own throat and lifting him off the ground. His eyes widened as he saw the shorter redhead that grabbed him, and the distraction caused his jutsu to dissipate. Sasori had given up on hiding, overcome by a trange urge to protect her that he didn't even know he had. Something about this other man infuriated him. This person was worse than trash, giving up so easily on someone he used to care about so much.

But Ino rose slowly, shaking her head. "No, don't kill them." She reached inside Shikamaru's chuunin vest, grabbing the scroll they were after. "We weren't sent to kill them, only to get the scroll, right?"

Sasori held on to the other man's throat a moment longer before releasing them. "Yes."

"Mission accomplished. Let's go." She nodded and called back the demon horse, noticing that the beast had knocked out the other two ninjas but hadn't killed them. With one last glance at Shikamaru standing there, staring at her with an emotion between fear and loathing, she sent a kick to his gut, making him fall to the ground. She then nodded at Sasori, smiling just a little. "I think... I feel a little better now."

He smiled and came closer, smiling back. "Sorry I intervened. But I... got so angry..."

Angry? He still had emotions, somewhere, she knew that long ago. She leaned closer. "I'm glad you came to my rescue." She leaned even closer, kissing him yet again, and it was neither awkward or hesitant. Somehow they had both gotten used to the idea of being so close to each other, finally enjoying physical contact. They had been shy, but now there were no more boundaries.

Shikamaru winced, trying to get up, but before he passed out all he saw was Ino kissing this strange man.

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A/N: Chapter 10, done at last! There's still more, don't worry. Now that they've gotten over the whole shyness stage, fluff will come up a bit more! Expect plenty of it coming up! Please review, and tell me whether electric horses are kinda weird. I kinda think that horses are Ino's thing, personally... 


	11. Keep

Time to think of a good word that starts with the letter K because this is chapter 11! Who knew it would last this long? I sure didn't. But my friend wants something nice to read when he gets bored, so gotta keep going! This chapter is gonna be mostly fluff, so prepare to "aww" lots. Enjoy the mush chapter. 

EDIT: I was asked if I will kill off Sasori. Nope. It's fan fiction, I can keep em together, so I will. I was also asked "OMG where is chapter 11??" Patience. I held back this chapter's release because Ino/Sasori fan art is now on my profile page, and I wanted to tell all of you about it. Shaaaameless plug!

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Part 11 - "Keep"

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Ino put a vase of flowers down on the main dining table, arranging them carefully into a tall oval. She had managed to kick everyone out of the kitchen, even Sasori, and she had even convinced Konan to keep guard at the door. None of them knew what she was plotting to make for dinner, but if they wanted anything they would have to wait. She grinned slyly to herself, knowing exactly what she was doing. Tonight was special. It was three months since she had joined Akatsuki, and she wanted to make a special dinner to celebrate. As the pots of food stewed on the stove, she set the table, humming to herself. Soon she would be strong enough to pursue Orochimaru, get the ring back, and finally be able to participate in the sealing ritual. The rings weren't just for show, they held power.

She placed the last item on the table and took out her signature ponytail, redoing it into a fancy braid. With one last tug on her cloak, she opened the door and let the crowd inside. Each one gaped silently for only a moment before exploding noisily into chatter. For the occasion she had made a few of her own secret recipes for curry, seafood salad and an assortment of ohagi and dango. (ohagi is a mix of regular rice and glutinous rice made into a ball and covered with azuki paste) It was all she could do to keep everyone from eating long enough to make sure everyone had made it to the table.

With a satisfied glance, she looked around at each member. "I made something special for you all to celebrate that I've been here for three months! You better like it." She winked cheerfully and motioned for them to eat as she took her seat between Sasori and Deidara. It was expectedly noisy as everyone dug into their food, telling her what a great cook she was. As she enjoyed her own meal, talking and laughing, she looked over to Sasori, the only one she hadn't cooked for. "So are you happy?"

He looked up with a start. "Happy...? What do you mean?"

"I don't know... just wondering if you like having me here."

"Of course I do." He smiled in a strange way, and she interpreted it as sly or playful. Then he leaned over and looked at the food in the center of the table. "I think I'll try some..."

Her visible eyebrow raised curiously. "I thought you couldn't eat."

His eyes drifted back to her lazily. "I don't need to, but I can. I'm not completely made of wood, you know."

She thought about this for a good second or two. Now she was curious. Was that why he was able to kiss her? It hadn't felt like wood back then. "So how much did you keep? When I kissed you it felt normal."

Next to her she heard Deidara choke on a bite of curry before he looked at her with a completely freaked out expression. "Y-you kissed Sasori??"

She blushed furiously. Really, she had tried to keep her voice down, but Deidara's shout made it heard all around the table, complete silence taking over. Time to make a save! She grabbed Deidara in a headlock and hollered at him. "You idiot, that's not what I said at all!"

Naturally, Deidara wasn't the type of guy to let it go. "Yes it is, un! You just said you kissed him so fess up already!"

All the stares around her told her that everyone believed Deidara. Was it really that obvious what she felt for the strange redhead? No, no fessing up, she was going down with a fight dammit! "Well? So what if I did, blondie?"

He was turning red under her severe grip. "Who are you calling blondie, blondie? HMPH!"

Konan banged on the table hard enough to make the plates jump. "ENOUGH! Let's be civil. Deidara, shut up and sit down. Ino, let it go."

The two backed off and nodded. "Hai, Konan-sama..."

Kisame tried to make conversation with the others to distract them while Tobi did his best to join in, and soon everything was back to normal. But it didn't stop Deidara from lowering his voice for her to hear. "Hmph... Nothing wrong with it, un. I was just a little shocked. Sorry Ino-chan, un..."

She nodded with just a hint of a smile. "You really mean it, Dei-chan?"

He smiled a little at the familiar nickname. "Yeah, un. I guess I just got a little jealous."

Her eyes widened at the implications. "Jealous?!"

He stammered hastily. "N-no no! Not like that, un! He's been my partner for a while now, but once you came along we stopped going on missions together. I guess I got lonely, un."

"Oh! Don't worry, I won't keep him away too much. If you want to go on a mission with him sometime, just let me know and I'll trade with you!"

He was quick to smile this time. "You really mean that, un? You sure I won't get in the way with... whatever is between you?"

"It's fine, really. It wouldn't hurt to have time alone once in a while. I'm strong enough to do solo missions, so I can take one of yours any time you want."

He hesitated slightly. "Well... there was one up in Iwa I was supposed to do in a few days... but I really don't want to go back there, un. You'd have no problem fighting them, almost every ninja up there is earth based, un. They'd be cake for you."

"I'll take it, just send me the mission specs and I'll send you mine."

Konan had been sitting between Pein and Deidara, and leaned back in her chair to whisper to Ino. "Did you really kiss him?"

She blushed and leaned back with a nod, whispering even lower. "Yeah, a few times..." She heard Deidara choke again but smiled this time. "Heh sorry..."

But Konan winked and grinned. "Don't worry, I won't tell!" She went back to eating her dinner, glancing over to see Pein staring at her. She chose to ignore that stare.

Ino was blushing furiously again and stared at her food in dismay. "Me and my big mouth!"

Sasori couldn't help but grin at her expense. "Are you embarrassed?"

She recovered quickly, only a slight pink tinting her cheeks. "Er... maybe a little."

He put down his chopsticks to place his hand on top of hers on the table. "There's no reason to be. They really don't care as much as they let on." He was quickly corrected by Hidan grinning at them slyly and even Itachi was watching with interest. Fortunately Sasori was the type to recover from these people quickly. "We can talk about it later..." He smiled and left his cleared plate, retreating to his room just as everyone else was finishing. She left Tobi to do the dishes as usual. That kid really was handy when it came to the chores that she didn't want to do, and he always seemed excited to do them. She followed after Sasori to his room, and entered quietly.

"Sorry about that..." She smiled slightly, seating herself on his bed like she always did.

He had already gone back to working on yet another part. This guy never ran out of work! "There's nothing to apologize for." With a pause, he looked at her. "Would you still like to know, though?"

"Know what?" She had completely forgotten what she asked him.

He chuckled lightly and shrugged. "You asked how much of my old body I kept."

"Oh! I guess I forgot..." She grinned sheepishly. "I would still like to know, though..."

He put down his tools, thinking carefully. "Hmm... I remember that I kept some of my digestive system just in case I needed to replenish my chakra quickly with a food pill or something like that. Half of my face still works... mostly because I needed it to talk properly, although..." He paused, and she supposed he would have blushed if he had been able to. "I guess it had other uses."

She, of course, was quite able to blush and demonstrated that immediately. "Er... right. But you can't blush?"

"I used to be able to, but... I guess I suppressed it."

She was very curious about these new findings, and stared at him. "Can... can I look a little closer?"

He nodded and came to sit next to her, leaning forward as she touched his face curiously. Sure enough, only the back half and part of his right face was fake, the part that had been damaged before. And yet there was... skin? Yes, skin over the wood. Strange... Maybe his chakra was able to regenerate the skin on his face. That made sense. She ran her hand through his hair, looking at it closer. Even that was real. He noticed her rapt expression and smiled up at her. "I was able to preserve most of that, regrowing it with my chakra. I don't know why I felt so vain about it at the time, but now it's more of a habit."

She felt the rest of his face, her finger curiously tracing his lips. "Maybe you liked the way you looked?"

"Maybe." He glanced to the side, not really sure why he had kept himself exactly the way he was when he left Suna. Maybe there was a part of him that didn't want to give up what remained of his personality.

She smiled and kept holding his face. "So when I kiss you, it's really you, huh?"

"Mmhm..." He definitely would have blushed at this point. Her proximity alone was enough, not to mention what she was implying.

Ino had grown bolder in his presence, however, and kissed him experimentally, drawing it into something lengthy, then sat back and considered. "Hmm..." Then with a wink and a nod she grinned at him victoriously. "Yep, I definitely like it. Don't change a thing!"

He found himself getting a bit more forward just by sensing her bravado. He grabbed her by the waist and leaned close. "I wouldn't think of such a thing." With a grin at her surprised look at his forward nature, he leaned over and kissed her this time, not pulling away as he let his cold, shy nature take the back seat to this strange bold surge he felt. What was it about her that made him so secure and adventurous?

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A/N: -huff- Tired... mid-day slump. I'm through for now, just placating the masses! Go check out my fan art, it's on my profile. Please leave feedback!


	12. Lachrymose

Chapter 12 by now I think... yeah... Anyway, you know the drill. I love reviews so make sure to write some! 

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Part 12 - "Lachrymose" (Adj. Tearful, mournful. Hard to say too, dammit!)

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Ino practiced alone in the field, most of the others already gone on missions except for Hidan and Pein. That didn't mean she would slack on her training. Except for dire injuries she never allowed herself to rest. After a while she got bored sparring by herself and summoned a few shadow clones to at least have an opponent. The sun rose to indicate it was noon, and she paused for a quick break. She dispelled her clones, sitting under a tree while she ate her packed lunch, relaxing in the pleasant daylight. Just as she was finishing her lunch, Hidan approached her cautiously, watching her with a puzzled stare. At first she didn't really care; he did this all the time. But since she was finished with lunch, she decided to play around a little bit.

"Mass shadow clone technique!" Ino summoned twenty shadow clones, a personal record! Overjoyed by this achievement, each clone grinned or cheered as they collectively surrounded Hidan. The look of sheer terror on his face was priceless.

"HOLY JASHIN STAY AWAY FROM ME!" He backed up all the way until he hit a tree, his violet eyes widening when he pressed up against the bark. "Freaky clone girl..."

Each clone pouted childishly but then one of the clones yelled out. "HEY! Look, Kakuzu-san is back!" Most of the other clones yelled in surprise and ran back to the base, leaving a single irritated Ino behind. "HEY! Come back here!" She sighed at the futile effort and turned to stare at Hidan. He glared back at her and pointed.

"What the fuck are you doing with all your clones? Are you trying to take over the freaking world or something?"

She sweat-dropped and stared. This guy... was so stupid. "You idiot, it's just the shadow clone technique. Didn't anyone ever teach you that?"

He gulped nervously, avoiding her eyes. "Of-of course not! I don't need those stupid techniques, I have the power that Jashin granted me!"

Come to think of it, she had NEVER seen Hidan use ninjutsu or genjutsu. He had only ever trained her with hand-to-hand or weapons. It dawned on her. "Heyyyy I get it, you can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, can you?"

He glared and stammered nervously. "Of course I-I can...! I j-just don't, seriously!"

Oh man, she knew it. This guy is just like Lee. "Prove it, then! Come on!"

Now he was caught. "I don't have to fucking do what you say!"

"So you CAN'T use it!" She couldn't help but laugh at his expense. True, Lee had been a remarkable ninja for all that he couldn't use ninjutsu for crap, but Hidan was something else. He was hilarious.

"I don't need that crap, all I need is my scythe and my immortality! Do I have to show you my rituals personally?"

Just then, Kakuzu and the Ino clones came through the forest, and Kakuzu sighed at the sight. "Hidan, leave her alone. Didn't know you had more clones running around..."

She smiled and shrugged. "Sorry!" She immediately dispelled her clones but suddenly gasped. In an instant, she knew what the other clones had been doing with Kakuzu. "W-what the... how did I know what the other clones were doing?" She glanced up at Kakuzu and looked a little shocked. "Were... were you just showing them how to do another lightning and water combination..?"

He nodded briskly. "Hn... Yes, I thought all of your clones had found me. But you left one behind. So... you know what both of your sets of clones were doing?"

"Yeah... one set was learning from you, and my single one here was arguing with Hidan. As soon as I dispelled the other clones, I knew what all of them had learned."

"Interesting..."

Hidan grimaced and stared at her. "So her freaky clones can know what we're all doing if she splits them up? That's messed up... I don't want her clones near me! Fucking useless anyway."

Kakuzu sneered and slashed off Hidan's head in a rage. "It's not useless, idiot. Don't you realize what this technique could do? She could learn two things at once with that technique. It would make her more efficient."

Hidan's head was enraged and hollered loudly. "EFFICIENT! I'm getting fucking sick of that word! JUST PUT MY HEAD BACK ON! This fucking hurts, seriously!"

Kakuzu sighed and picked Hidan's head up by the hair, shifting the useless body under the other arm. "Sorry, Ino-chan. Maybe you can go talk to Leader about this."

She shrugged. "Alright, don't hurt Hidan too much." With a playful grin she returned to the base, keeping silent in the hallway. Pein didn't like to hear the clatter in the hallways and she had kept her footsteps muffled with her chakra but let her chakra signature be easily read by anyone concerned. She knocked on his door softly and waited near the door after she had been allowed in. Even after all this time, she kept her distance and remained respectful. His gaze was open and curious, and that was her cue to speak. "Leader-sama, I have found out something peculiar in my training today. I had summoned several shadow clones in the presence of Hidan, and when Kakuzu returned today, all but one went to him. While my first clone was arguing with Hidan, the others were training. After dispelling the clones, I found that I knew what both groups had been doing. Kakuzu thought that because of this, anyone using the shadow clone technique could learn two things at once."

His eyes widened for a moment and he grined his usual half smile. "Another interesting observation... I'll admit, I had worried about your progress so far, being barely on par with Deidara or Itachi. After you learned elemental skills and summoning, I began to lose my doubt in you. Now... Yes, I'm glad I asked you to join us. If what you say is so, it could be used to train in two different styles at once, and then later you would know both. So, while one clone learns to use lightning skills, another could be summoning, and one more could be learning taijutsu. The possibilities are endless..." He paused in thought for a moment, and Ino suddenly spoke up.

"So Itachi or any of the others that know the shadow clone could do the exact same thing!"

He had to admit... he really liked this girl. Her observational skills alone made her valuable. Once combined with her stealth and medical skills... Why hadn't anyone trained her like this before? Was Konoha really so demeaning of their kunoichi? "Yes, they could. I bet Itachi could stand to make some improvements. Hmm..." He stood suddenly, wanting to test a theory. "Alright Ino, make a shadow clone and send it to practice a technique with Kakuzu. Meanwhile, I want your other to be here and practice with me. Once one of the clones is destroyed or I call it quits, tell me what you have learned."

She couldn't believe it. The leader was going to fight her? She had never actually seen him in battle, learning only summoning techniques from him. With a smirk, she summoned a shadow clone and sent it out to Kakuzu, leaving herself also in the room with Pein. As she turned to face him, removing her cumbersome cloak, he did the same, facing her calmly, hand held out to indicate her to go first. The two exchanged strictly taijutsu blows, since she knew that when it came to Ninjutsu, Pein was more than enough to kill her. Even in taijutsu he was supreme, his skill beyond measure as they dueled for at least an hour. Suddenly, Sasori's voice resounded in the hallway.

"Ino! Deidara's been severely injured!"

Pein instantly stopped his assault and she dispelled her clone, taking only a moment to register the new technique learned. They both ran to the lounge where the redhead had laid Deidara on the ground. The blond had sustained several burn wounds and lacerations, his body an utter mess. He was barely breathing and even from across the room she could tell he was shaking from blood loss.

Oh, she REALLY hoped she had enough chakra left to heal him! Her training today had been severe considering all the shadow clones she had to make, not to mention learning those techniques. He was close to death, bleeding all over the floor, Sasori staring down with a concerned gaze. The redhead looked up, his expression one of confusion. "I have no idea what happened... Can you help him?"

She didn't let the doubt register on her face, and just knelt next to Deidara, her hands poised to heal. Progress was slow - too slow! No, no time to give up! She shoved her chakra out, forcing whatever she could into the healing process, trying not to black out. She didn't have enough chakra. It wasn't enough. He would die! No, no more pessimism! "Don't die on me, Deidara! You're my friend... we all need you." She almost fainted, but recovered when she felt Sasori's hand on her shoulder, giving some of his chakra.

"Does this help at all? Can you take my chakra?"

She nodded, feeling even his chakra slipping away. "Yes, but you're worn out too, it'll never be enough." Suddenly she stiffened with surprise as Pein's hand went to her other shoulder, his immense store of chakra almost exploding into her body. With a wonderous expression cast back at him for a second, she turned back to healing, the damage to the organs healing at a ridiculous speed, his flesh knitting together as he slowly regained consciousness.

Deidara's lone eye flickered open suddenly. "Un... Danna? What happened?"

Sasori only smiled down at him, feeling... relieved. He never realized what a loss might do to him. All this time he had accepted loss as a part of life, but now he didn't want to lose any of them. "Ino saved you."

She smiled down warmly. "No, we all did." She glanced back at Pein, who for a moment actually smiled, removing his hand and standing back politely. To her they were a new family, someone she wanted to save. But she wouldn't do it alone. When she needed them, they were here to help her, as well as each other.

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A/N: Short chapter, I know. Haven't had much time and didn't want to keep you waiting. Things will continue to get interesting so don't worry, yeah.


	13. Moderation

What's a good word that starts with M? Chapter 13 already... I'm getting sick of writing this. I want a little hiatus! Been busy writing up "Mages of Azulan" on my fiction press account, I finally had the nerve to post the prologue. Anyway... don't be too sad if I don't update this regularly. 

EDIT: OH GEEZ! Has anyone read chapter 391 yet? Anyone else freak out at how similar that attack is to one of the attacks I have for Ino? WOW! Anyway, Ino is gonna have some "bonding" with the other members in this chapter, saving the best for last of course!

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Part 13 - "Moderation" (I seriously gotta stop reading my dictionary)

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Ino was reading a thick book about medical techniques after dinner in the lounge, hands paging through until she found the one she wanted. Digestive system. Not exactly the kind of thing to read about right after eating, but she wanted to learn a bit more. She was completely distracted even as Kakuzu came behind her and looked over her shoulder.

"Digestive system?" He chuckled. "Trying to figure out where that great lunch is going?"

She nodded politely, looking back at him. "I needed a refresher. I shouldn't neglect my medical studies just because I learned some other skills."

"Hn..." He looked over the detailed text and sat on a chair nearby. "So how do you heal others with your chakra anyway?"

"I didn't know you were interested in healing." She glanced over to him, her eyebrow raising with interest.

He chuckled again. "Just a curiosity."

She tilted her head and nodded. "I can show you how. If you can summon huge lightning storms like you did before, I'm sure you can learn how to heal." She put away her book and held out her hands, concentrating her chakra in them. "You don't need hand seals or anything like that. It relies on you using your chakra to knit together flesh. Er... it's hard to explain, maybe I'll show you." Grimacing, she took her kunai out and made a small cut on her arm, gathering her chakra to one of her hands. "You have to let your chakra combine with theirs and speed the healing process. Like this." Her chakra glowed cool and green and she healed half the cut. "You try and finish it."

"Like this?" He focused so his chakra concentrated in his hand, but the cut didn't do anything. "It's not working..."

"You have to force your chakra into the body, much like forcing chakra up into the clouds like before. It's the same thing, except you don't pull anything out."

"Oh..." He frowned and pushed his chakra into the cut, the gash healing quicker. Soon nothing was left, not even a scar. "So it's a one-way process."

"Exactly!" She smiled up at him. "Just remember to keep control of your chakra, it's a very delicate process, especially if the victim is seriously wounded."

He stood to leave and laughed. "Maybe now Hidan will stop bitching every time I have to sew his head back on and he has to wait for it to heal. I can just heal it for him to make him shut up. Thanks." He was about to leave, but he turned back suddenly. "Oh, Ino-chan...?"

She looked back up at him. "Hmm?"

"You can come by any time you want to train... you don't have to wait for Leader's permission." He smiled wide, the stitches in his face stretching.

"I'll remember that." She smiled back at him, knowing she had another friend to learn from and teach in return. Even the irritable Kakuzu had warmed up to her.

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"Ino, could you come taste this?" Konan was cooking (or TRYING to) in the kitchen at the base, puzzling over a pot of stew.

Ino entered the kitchen. "Sure, what are you making?" She took the spoon and let it cool for a moment before tasting it. What WAS this?

"Well... I was trying to make seafood stew but... it tastes funny."

"Is that what this is?" She tasted it again, thinking. "No no, you forgot to put in the celery and daikon. It could also use a couple more potatoes. It's not quite thick enough, so maybe add a bit of corn starch to thicken it."

"I didn't know you could use corn starch to thicken stew..."

"It's a handy trick, you can use flour but it's not quite the same."

She smiled, taking the spoon and stirring. "Thanks, Ino."

Ino winked and grinned. "Not a problem, just make sure not to burn it!" She left the kitchen, glad that she was able to teach Konan how to cook. Someone had to do it once in a while. The poor blond needed a day off now and then!

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"Hey Ino... Could you teach me the shadow clone technique...?" Hidan had ambushed her in the hallway, his eyebrow twitching severely. He didn't even cuss at her, but it was obvious that he dreaded asking her this.

She smiled slyly. "Oh, so now you want to learn, huh? I thought you didn't need stupid techniques like that, you get everything you need from Jashin!"

He frowned but maintained his composure. "Yeah well... if one of me can do so many great things for Jashin, then imagine what two of me could do, or three! It would be fucking beautiful, seriously!"

She stared at him suspiciously. "Do you even know how to mold your chakra?"

"Of-of course I do! I had to do it for that fucking stupid water walking thing."

"Well... alright, mold your chakra into a ball in your hands. I want to see what kind of control you have."

He nodded and held out his hands, summoning chakra to his hands slowly. With concentration, he was able to form it into a small orb. "Ha! There, see?"

She sighed, looking down at the small chakra force. "You'd only be able to make one clone with that small amount. Well... I'll show you how." She displayed the signs and gave a lengthy description on how to best separate his chakra, and she waited for him to try.

"Alright... here goes... kage bunshin no jutsu!" In a puff of smoke he was finally able to make one clone, though it fatigued him quite a bit. Despite that he was confident. "Oh yeah! That is fucking beautiful! Now I can annoy Kakuzu twice as much!" As the two Hidans ran off to do exactly that, Ino actually regretted teaching him such a thing. Poor Kakuzu!

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"Hey Ino, you wanna try?" Kisame was practicing a water technique near a lake and Ino had gone by to collect water. He gave his signature grin as she approached.

Smiling, she set aside her bucket and took a moment to train with him, knowing the chore could wait. She stood beside him on the lake and looked up at him. "What are we doing?"

"I'm trying to create a new technique. Here, I'll show you." He formed a set of water element seals and focused. "Water style, great white torrent!" With a surge, phantom shark spirits morphed through the water, carrying a giant wave along with it, engulfing part of the surrounding plain. He frowned after it. "Needs to be a little bigger."

"Oh, that's interesting... Let me try." She knew her attack wouldn't be nearly as impressive, but she'd try it on a smaller scale and with more precision. "Water style, great white torrent!" Her wave was much smaller but carried a more concentrated force in the center, wiping out several trees that she aimed it at.

He grinned down at her with approval. "Not bad, kid. So you tried making it more concentrated and smaller... Maybe I should try scaling down. I guess I make things massive out of habit."

She nodded. "A little better control of your chakra would help too. If you can conserve your chakra better, you can do more attacks. I know you think you don't need to do it since you have so much chakra, but you wouldn't want to be proven wrong."

His head tilted to the side in thought. She had a point. "Yes, that would be a good idea. If I can scale down, concentrate, and conserve, maybe I can fight a little better. Thanks."

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"Hn..." The sharingan eyes of Uchiha Itachi bored down on her, but not in a mean gesture. He was a paranoid person, turning his sharingan every time someone came near. She took no offense. "Ino... have you seen Kisame?"

She looked into his eyes, not afraid of the sharingan. "Yeah, I just left him. He's out at the lake practicing water techniques. I had him try to scale down his attacks and conserve his energy better."

His eyebrow raised with amusement. "He actually listened...?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't he?"

"I've been telling him to do that for quite some time... He'd just brush it off and tell me to mind my own business."

She smiled kindly and shrugged. "Maybe you should be a little nicer. Talk to him once in a while, ask him what he thinks. He's a sociable person, Itachi-san. I really think he gets bored with you being quiet all the time. Just ask him how his technique is going, I think he'll respect you a little more."

His eyes widened slightly. "Talk...? Would that... really work?"

This guy really had no idea how to converse, did he? "Yeah! You should talk with everyone around here. You'd be surprised how much you can learn just by stepping outside your shell once in a while. You must be shy."

He looked to the side with irritation, but knew she had a point. "I... never learned about that in class or ANBU..."

Now it made sense! "Oh, that's right... you progressed so quickly. You may have made it to a great status in life, but you missed out on everything else. Just ask the others about their missions, talk about work. It's a good start."

"I might have to try that." He gave one last glance of irritation before disappearing into the darkness. She knew that was the best she could expect from the legendary Ice Prince.

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"Ino-chan! Over here!" Tobi waved enthusiastically from his spot next to Zetsu. She waved back and sat on a chair across from the couch they were resting on and smiled.

"Hey! So what are you up to, Tobi?"

The black half of Zetsu sneered. "ANNOYING THE CRAP OUT OF ME. No no, Tobi's a good boy. HE'S A GOOD SNACK... We can't eat him."

Ino tried to change the subject. "Err... hey Tobi, why don't I give you something to do for a while?" Thinking quickly, she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "Here, let me show you something Konan taught me." Her hands folded a small paper crane out of the sheet, then she handed him a few slips of paper. "Why don't you make a few and go show Konan?"

Tobi took the paper gratefully and nodded. "Okay, Ino-chan!" As soon as he ran off, Zetsu sighed.

"Thank you, Ino. I WAS SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO EAT HIM. I was about ready to let you."

She nodded with a grin. "Not a problem, Zetsu-san. If you ever have a problem with him again, just come to me and I'll find something for him to do."

"YOU'RE A REAL LIFE SAVER."

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"Ino-chan, un. You got a minute?" Deidara had found Ino in the hallway, looking a little confused.

"What's the matter, Dei?"

"Un... It was the weirdest thing. Itachi just came into my room and asked me how my mission went. I smiled and said it went alright, but... I didn't know he could even talk, much less make conversation, un..."

She smirked. "Oh is that all? Maybe he's in a good mood today. I hope you were nice."

"Tsch... I'm not a stuck up emo prick, un."

"It wouldn't hurt for you to be a little nicer too, you know. Maybe if you went to the trouble of thinking before you talk, you wouldn't have to whine about everyone being so mean! You go on about it all day long but you never do anything about it."

An angry grimace flew across his face. "What's that supposed to mean, huh? Maybe they're all just a bunch of evil morons who bitch all day long, un!"

She got just as angry. "They wouldn't have anything to bitch about if you all just decided to act civil once in a while!" She calmed down, her look getting serious. "Honestly, Deidara... the others like you pretty well. I just wish you'd calm down and see it."

He paused, about to say something, but thought better of it. Regaining his composure, he nodded. "I'm a bit of a hot head, un... Maybe I'll try to... I don't know... take a deep breath before I say anything, un."

She nodded, smiling up at him. "Sometimes that's all it takes."

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"Ino..." Pein was hanging out in the shadowed half of the lounge and had called out to her when she walked by. She looked over at him curiously before he beckoned for her to sit across from him.

"What's the matter, Leader-sama?"

His gaze went from confusion to deep thought. "...what did you do?"

Her eyes widened. "D-do? Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, no... I just thought you might have said something to the others. Itachi came by and... we talked for a while. Nothing special, just a few words about missions we had recently. Tobi has been making origami with Konan all afternoon... for some reason he loves to learn and she loves to show him, and it has kept Zetsu in a very amiable mood. Well, for Zetsu, anyway... Kisame came in here insisting on showing me the remarkable control he has over his chakra now, and Hidan and Kakuzu... well, they fight worse than ever but for some reason they seem to be happier. Was this your doing?"

She considered her answer carefully. "Well... all I did was talk to them. It wasn't really anything special."

"It was." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Because of that, they're happier than they've ever been. It might even improve their success rate. I'm not sure what you did, but it helps. I wonder..." He smirked. "What advice would you give me?"

She hesitated on giving him advice. He was the leader, after all! "Are you... sure you want my completely honest opinion?"

He nodded stiffly. "I asked, didn't I?"

This time she didn't hesitate. "If you want to help, you need to stop staying in your office all day long. Come out of the shadows and talk to the others face to face. They really don't know what to think of you if you give them nothing to go on. Talk to them, get to know who they are and allow them to know more about you."

He paused. "That's it?"

"That's it."

He considered this for a long time, longer than most would be patient with, but Ino could wait. She knew how the leader was. "Maybe you're right. I've spent so much time with them, but all I know is their techniques and their advantages and disadvantages. I don't really know about them as people. Thanks... Ino."

She nodded respectfully. "My pleasure, Leader-sama."

He rose abruptly, leaving the lounge, but he turned his head around as he was about to round the corner. "Actually... you may call me Pein if you wish." With a smile at her awed expression, he disappeared.

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"Danna! I missed you!" Ino raced forward to give Sasori a quick hug but paused when she saw his bewildered expression. "What's wrong?"

He just looked up at her, awestruck. "It... was so strange. Deidara greeted me when I came back but he didn't once mention art or how stupid everyone is, and we even had a nice conversation. And then Itachi asked me how the mission went... After that, Leader came up to me in the hallway and... he asked me how I was feeling! For a minute I thought we had been invaded by poorly cloaked hunter nins, and I punched Deidara just to be sure. He was mad until I explained and apologized. I just don't get it..."

She smiled and gave him the belated hug. "It's nothing, Danna. They're just learning how to live with each other."

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A/N: And... that's it for now. R&R pretty please!


	14. Nonsense

Chapter 14, so... what, I'm on N now? Yeah. Kinda torn between Nihilism and Nonsense for the chapter title. Nonsense will do for now! This chapter won't be horribly long. I'm horribly stiff and I need to walk around a bit today. Hopefully this chapter won't suffer too much. 

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Part 14 - "Nonsense" Aka: "This fic is lasting longer than intended"

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Ino had more or less become the social adviser for their fearless leader Pein. Whenever the men had a problem that he just couldn't understand, she would be sent to root out the source of the problem and help settle their differences. One day, he approached her in the lounge.

"Ino, I've been wondering something..."

She smiled up cheerfully. "Yes, Pein-sama?"

"The morale around here seems to be a little low. A few of the guys even seem a little depressed. What should I do to improve their moods a little?"

"Hmm..." She considered this for a moment, carefully going over their options. "You know, it would be good if you let them bring women to the base. They are men, after all, and... tension will happen, like it or not, and ah..." She tried to word this VERY carefully. "When that happens, you don't want them turning to the only person around, you know."

He looked puzzled, but suddenly had it dawn on him. "They-- oh. No, that would be... Yes, I suppose it would be a good idea to do that. Although, I can't just let anyone in here. That would be reckless."

She nodded. "True. But it would improve the morale. It would also help to give them time off, as well as a holiday every now and then. Nothing long, just a break now and then from the constant tension of the field. I know Kakuzu will say it's inefficient, but even he feels the need to get away whether he admits it or not."

He pondered this for a second. "I suppose it would actually improve efficiency. But I don't see how I could go about the whole women thing."

"You should at least consider it." Her smile widened. "Look at how much Sasori improved."

Pein smiled slightly, the expression still looking a little odd on him. "Yes, I guess you have a point. What exactly is going on between you anyway?"

She smirked. "I might ask the same about you and Konan."

His perturbed look lasted only a fraction of a second, but knowing him as well as she did, she caught it. "She's my partner, that's all."

Her perceptive nature didn't skip a beat. "Pein-sama, I'm not blind. Even Itachi-san can see it plainly. I know there's something there."

That was definitely a perturbed look! It was so obvious! "Well... I suppose I will tell you if you tell me what's going on with you and Sasori..."

She blushed suddenly. "There's nothing... Well... alright, but you better tell me! It's not serious yet, but yeah... I guess we're still figuring out what it is."

He tilted his head curiously, nodding. "Yes, I suppose it's still a new thing for both of you. I can tell he really cares, though."

His comment reassured her. If the stoic, socially unobservant leader could tell this, then it was obviously true. "Yeah, I guess I'll just see how it goes. What about you and Konan?"

It was his turn to blush slightly. "Well... I guess I have the same problem as you. I'm not really sure what it is either."

"Hm... I guess we both have a lot to think about."

He chuckled- wow, was that almost a laugh?- and rose from his seat, walking away slowly. "Yeah. Maybe I'll tell her." As soon as he was gone, she thought it over. Did she love Sasori? It seemed like a strange thing to think about. He wasn't completely human, after all. But he still held some compassion, and maybe deep feelings for her. He had changed. Maybe he changed enough to love back?

------

She had to tell him, even if he didn't feel the same way. After all, what was the fun in staying in the dark all the time? She didn't come this far, risking so much and giving up everything just to stay content. The reason for joining Akatsuki had been to become stronger and more courageous, to do what she never dared to do before. Killing was easy. Confession of love, however, was the hardest thing of all. Oh come on, don't be such a wuss, she told herself. It's not that bad... right? But this was different from gushing over that idiot Sasuke all those years back. This was... something real.

He had to tell her, even if she didn't feel the same way. Really, he should have told her a long time ago, why had he hesitated every time? Maybe you were scared, he told himself. He had never been scared of anything, least of all the little kunoichi, but the thought of telling her about his feelings nearly made him quiver with terror. It was a strange feeling to have lost control over his baser instincts, and yet it felt good. This was beyond anything he had ever felt before. It was real, raw energy.

The two suddenly ran into each other just as Sasori was leaving his room and Ino was about to enter. They stared for a moment before Ino apologized. "Oh! Sorry..."

"No, it's fine. Did you need anything?" Why did he look so shy?

It took all her willpower not to blush. "Oh no, no, I just wanted to talk to you."

He stepped aside and held the door. "...alright. Come on in." Ino stepped inside quietly but she noticed that Sasori stayed by the door, looking... flustered? It was almost an amusing emotion for him to have, if only he didn't seem so nervous. What was wrong? Before she could get out what she had wanted to say to him, he looked up at her suddenly. "Actually, I have something to tell you as well." She didn't move, she was too shocked. What did she do? Maybe it wasn't anything horrible, maybe he had something good to report? Heck, maybe his spies had found Orochimaru, that would certainly stress him out!

She smiled just a little, trying to calm her nerves over the possibilities. "What is it?"

He hesitated, looking up at her. His proximity made her finally lose control over the blush on her face. But he only smiled shyly, reaching up to put his hand on her face cautiously. Something about that small gesture said everything. He didn't need to say anything at all, he just leaned up and kissed her, not letting her go. To his surprise, she actually pulled him closer, not letting go either and even getting more aggressive. So that's how she wanted to play it? He wasn't about to let her win and grabbed her just as tightly, intensifying this peculiar battle.

They were both shy on the exterior, keeping to themselves in the company of other people, but between each other there was a sudden rapport, a close connection that tore down the walls around their hearts. On the inside, they were desperate to feel something, anything at all, and this harmony of resonance between them might just raise the emotions they needed.

Reluctantly, they separated for only a moment, the distance between them nonexistent except on the most insignificant level. She smiled weakly, overcome by the sudden emotion. "I guess I don't have to tell you."

He smiled back. "No." With a smirk, he closed the distance again, succumbing to the instincts that he had tried so hard to abandon. So what if it made him weak? If his emotions made him weak, her love made him strong again. It was worth the risk.

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One was the thief of the mind, the other the thief of bodies, but together they were the thieves of the other's heart.

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A/N: Yeah it's short. Next chapter will be battle oriented, so I wanted to give you a little fluff before that! I wonder if you can guess who Ino will fight next... Well, the next chapter starts with O... You figure it out mmkay? (And yeah, this story WILL be ending pretty darn soon. I've drawn it out waaaaaaay longer than I ever expected anyway. Don't worry! It will end VERY WELL!)


	15. Orochimaru

Time for the O chapter. Did you guess who she's going to fight? If you said Orochimaru, you would be correct. If you didn't... well, maybe she'll fight those guys later. Whatever. Be sure to enjoy. 

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Part 15 - "Orochimaru"

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The day finally came that she was ready to confront Orochimaru. She was determined to get the Akatsuki ring of his back and where it belonged. Pein had given her enough time to get this mission done, wanting the ring back as much as she did, and Sasori insisted on coming with her. After all, he had been Orochimaru's partner in the past, and knew more about the guy than anyone else in Akatsuki. Not to mention she really wanted him there anyway. Although she had asked for more backup, everyone else had a mission, even Pein himself, and the two would have to manage alone. At best, they would only have Orochimaru, Sasuke and Kabuto to deal with. At the worst... well, she didn't want to consider it. It was now or never.

Orochimaru had taken shelter in a large underground complex deep in the heart of the sound village, and by the time they arrived, the sun had already set. They had meant to be there by noon, but swarms of sound ninja kept them back, and Ino had her doubts.

"Do you think there will be more of them inside? Should we rest?"

Sasori reassured her from inside Hiruko. "We've waited too long already."

She grinned, knowing his impatience. "Yes, I hate waiting too."

He chuckled. "I'm rubbing off on you." With a nod, they crept silently near the complex, observing for the moment. All around the area, not a single enemy shinobi patrolled the complex, and she tensed with confusion. Sasuke was Orochimaru's pet, why would he be so lax with his security? Maybe he was overconfident. That would work to her benefit. Smiling at Orochimaru's stupidity, she crept ahead closer, making sure to stay quiet. She motioned to Sasori and he moved forth to approach the door. Nothing. What kind of evil mastermind left his front door unguarded?? He really must be arrogant. Her grin widened from behind the cover of her Akatsuki hat, anticipating an interesting fight.

A strange male voice sounded from directly behind her. "So you lived after all." The white haired man smirked down at Sasori, adjusting his glasses absently. He raised his chakra imbued hand to strike down Sasori, but suddenly a flash of white flew behind Kabuto and exploded noisily. Overhead, Deidara stood poised on his enormous clay dragon, grinning as wide as he could.

"Yo, Sasori-danna! Go ahead! Let me take him, un!"

Ino grinned up at him and Sasori nodded. She waved as they went through the door. "Thanks, Dei!" He must have gotten done with his mission early, what luck! They hurried through the entrance of the compound, running through the endless scores of hallways, wondering just how long it would take to search them all. After the hundredth corner, she started to get discouraged. How many rooms did this place have? "Sasori, do you know where we're going?"

"No, I've never actually been here. Orochimaru built this place after he left Akatsuki, so I haven't been able to learn much about it."

She stopped suddenly, cursing under her breath. "Fine! Then we'll just have to make them come to us!" With a yell, she sent a lightning imbued punch straight up through the ceiling, causing as much noise as possible. The ceiling was cracked from side to side, the moonlit night streaming into the hallway. A low rumble resounded in the far halls, followed by a long silence. Her patience returned, and she waited. Only a matter of time before- there! She sensed another chakra presence to her left and she turned to face it.

Cold red eyes glared out from the darkness, and a low male voice echoed through the empty hall. "Who are you?"

Although his voice had changed and he had grown, she knew who that was. Sasuke. She smirked, her hand going to her hat slowly, tilting her chin up haughtily as she removed the white stripped hat, her head tipping to the side with amusement. "Sasuke-kun, surely it hasn't been so long that you've forgotten me?"

His eyes didn't even widen, but it was clear he was surprised. "Ino." With a small frown, he was instantly behind her, his eyes facing forward. "If you came for me, you will leave empty handed."

She scoffed, his speed not daunting her in the least. "It's always about you, isn't it Sasuke-kun? I didn't come for you, cockatoo head. Get out of my way."

His katana was at her neck before she could blink. "Regardless of what you are truly here for, you will not leave with it. You will not leave at all."

With a chuckle, she disappeared, this form actually her clone, her second clone striking him from another angle with a chakra enhanced punch straight to the side of his face. She dropped into a defensive pose, glaring up at him. "I don't think you heard me. I said," she charged forward, punching and blocking, "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He dodged her blows, countering but being countered in return. They were on even terms with hand to hand combat, and she thanked any gods that may have existed that those lessons with Hidan had worked.

He glared back at her, charging his katana with lightning chakra, watching as she did the same with her kunai. His hand glowed with the chidori, the hectic bolts swirling around the blade in a flashy manner while her focused lightning clung close to the blade of her kunai, not at all flashy but well controlled and more effective. Sasuke had developed a rather disgusting grin in his absence, and an irritating cocky posture. "You are lightning element, you know as well as I do that it will be useless against me."

Well, he had a point. But then again, his technique would be useless against her. Lightning users could actually control the lightning attacks of other users, dispelling it completely. Neither of them were a fit match. However, he still had that long katana, and at the moment it was too close to her neck. She clenched her teeth, not sure if she would actually win against another lightning user. A shadow suddenly surrounded Sasuke's katana and in the moonlight she could see they were actually threads! Several more clung to Sasuke, the sharingan user almost looking startled, his cold, impassive gaze nearly breaking. The thread user broke through the ceiling, and Kakuzu grinned down at Ino, his mask gone and his threaded face grinning. "Ino-chan, let me take this one, he can't match all my elements!"

Another figure launched itself in front of her, his triple bladed scythe gleaming. "Geez stitch face, at least let me get some of the fucking action, seriously!"

With a grin, Kakuzu nodded to Ino. "Go, hurry!"

Did they also finish their mission early? That was completely unlike these two! Between Hidan's insistence on a thirty minute ritual after every battle and Kakuzu's pursuit of any amount of coin along the way, the team was ALWAYS late, never early! Even so, she was thankful that they had arrived. Now she could concentrate on Orochimaru.

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A cold, soft hiss sounded around her as Orochimaru's summoned demon snake Manda surrounded her, the scales gleaming amethyst and cobalt in the low moonlight. She and Sasori stood back to back, and she realized something disturbing. Although Sasori knew a great deal about Orochimaru, the same was true in reverse. He was well aware of Sasori's attacks and what he might do in battle. However, he knew nothing about her. If anything, he would only know what Sasuke told him. More likely, Sasuke had completely ignored anyone he knew past, striving only for new power and neglecting to tell him anything. That would work in her favor. She smiled mischievously, forming a set of seals. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Pouring as much chakra as she could spare into the seal, getting a little help from Sasori, she finally managed to summon the lightning horse boss, a thick maned demon, its entire body surrounded with a swirling maelstrom of lightning and cloud. Under her breath, she muttered something to Sasori. "Bring out Sandaime Kazekage."

In the confusion, he whispered back. "Why?"

She smirked. "I have a plan. Just take him out and use his iron sand technique. Get as much of it as you can out here. Turn it into long rods and embed them all over."

He looked back at her with interest, but nodded. "Alright." In an instant he was out of Hiruko, Sandaime Kazekage summoned forth as the horse boss guarded their actions. Manda was doing his best at facing off against the demon, though he didn't seem to want to do too much unless a good sacrifice was in order. They took Orochimaru's distraction with placating the great demon to their advantage, Sandaime filling the area with as much iron sand as he could. Soon the area was filled with tall iron rods, some touching the great snake.

As the lightning horse continued fighting the unwilling Manda, Ino grinned to herself and reached up towards the sky, concentrating her chakra into the clouds, reaching and grasping onto the fickle element of lightning. "Lightning style, raging tempest!" A severe, jagged bolt of lightning flew from the sky, guided by her chakra, but before it could go into her hand, she diverted it to the nearest item- the iron rod near Manda. Metal was a perfect conductor for lightning, and Sandaime's jutsu was perfect for the purpose. The lightning that struck wasn't produced by her chakra, merely drawn by it, the resulting bolt being the real thing, a thousand times worse than anything she could produce. Manda had been touching several of the metal poles and he was struck instantly, roaring and suddenly passing out from the immense shock. Even a heavy beast like him was no match against nature. He wasn't dead, but he would be useless for the rest of the battle.

The horse boss looked back at her, his nostrils flaring. "Why did you summon me to fight such a weakling?"

She bowed respectfully, motioning to Orochimaru, who looked completely stunned. "I did not summon you to fight the pitiful snake demon, it is Orochimaru I wish to kill."

He lowered his head, teeth bared and hoof pawing the ground anxiously, his gaze shifting to Orochimaru. "Good. You may call me Ikuwasachi. We will fight together."

With one glance to Sasori, she turned back to the horse. "Very well, Ikuwasachi-sama." She smirked, but the smirk was gone when she noticed that Orochimaru had summoned an enormous horde of snakes, the dreaded Hydra technique. Sasori had mentioned it once, but even he hadn't known the complete extent of the technique. However, the lightning horse hesitated, his nostrils exuding lightning imbued clouds.

"You were wise to summon me, young one. We will be hard pressed to win this."

She glanced over to Sasori, whispering softly. "I know it's hard, but do what you can to distract him. If you can pierce him with the metal, just once on any part of his body, I can finish him."

He hesitated now that the Hydra was out, but he nodded. "I'll try." With a flick of his hands, he summoned forth the bulk of his puppets, the entire count being at least a hundred. Behind him, Sandaime clattered as he controlled the entire set of iron poles around the area. She dodged the heads of the Hydra as she charged forth, taking the front lines of this battle along with Ikuwasachi. When a head got too close to her, the horse would trample it with his hefty hooves, his loud neighs resounding throughout the sky. He reared suddenly, breaking down what remained of the ceiling, the pieces crashing down on the Hydra's heads, Ino dodging each piece expertly. In a weak moment, one of the snake heads was speared with one of the metal rods. Ikuwasachi took this opportunity to summon his own surge of lightning from the sky, the enormous surge striking the rod suddenly, striking the entire Hydra.

From the snake's body, Orochimaru emerged, dripping from the snake's saliva as he had been hiding in its mouth. He grinned, his serpentine sneer creeping across his face. "Just when I thought I knew all you could do, Sasori..." He turned to cast his golden eyed glare on Ino. "Interesting girl... From Konoha, yet Sasuke never mentioned such an interesting kunoichi. I wonder why he wouldn't have told me about such a strong girl."

She clenched her fist with frustration, far too close to that snake's ridiculously long tongue for her own comfort. "At the time... he couldn't begin to imagine this power." In an instant, he was behind her, eyes facing forward. So that was who Sasuke got it from.

"Foolish girl. Your power is pathetic compared to mine." With another sneer, he moved to slice her neck, but soon realized she had used the replacement technique to switch her body with one of the metal rods, Sasori's thread twitching just in time to embed it in the snake man's shoulder. She appeared next to Ikuwasachi's house sized hoof, grinning triumphantly.

"You idiot, I don't need as much power as you! All I have to do is be smarter!" She summoned several shadow clones, attacking him furiously as Sasori tried to strike him with the metal rods, Ikuwasachi summoning another lightning surge. Not yet! She wanted to get as many metal poles embedded in him as possible. All but one of her clones were defeated, her two remaining forms doing all they could. A third clone had taken shelter atop Ikuwasachi, forming a seal on his head to help him guide the lightning. Orochimaru didn't even see the figure on the demon horse's head, focusing on her two grounded clones. At the last second, she dispatched her clones as three more rods embedded themselves into his shoulders, her final figure guiding a lightning bolt home onto his body.

A bright flash. An excruciating scream. That was all that remained of Orochimaru.

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The cold metal ring of Orochimaru's lay on her palm, the green background illuminating the black kanji. She had looted the ring from one of the inner chambers, smiling all the way back outside. Deidara waited next to his dragon on the field, severely injured but alive. He grinned up at her when she ran to his side, healing his wounds.

"Ino-chan, you got the ring?"

She smiled and held it up for him to see. "Now I'm a real member, aren't I?"

He smiled back at her, watching as his flesh stitched back together. "You were a real member even without it, un."

With a content sigh, she finished healing him, stretching as she looked behind her to see Hidan and Kakuzu emerging from the compound. Hidan had also been injured, though it looked like most of his wounds had already been partly healed. She grinned to herself, knowing that Kakuzu had actually gone to the trouble of healing more than the priest's neck. As they arrived on the field, she greeted them with a wave. "Hey, did Sasuke put up a decent fight?"

Hidan scoffed irritably. "Tsch, if you'd call that a fight. I had more fun putting that fucking cockatoo head through a ritual."

She stifled a laugh at that comment and looked up as Kakuzu spoke. "Idiot, I had to put your head back on three times during that battle! You're lucky I can do it so fast now!

He sneered, his head tilting arrogantly. "Where the fuck did you learn to heal like that anyway? You're seriously screwed up!"

Kakuzu glanced at Ino, giving a subtle wink that only she saw. "Come on, moron, let's get back to the base before Leader-sama whines at us for being late." He left the clearing, not waiting for Hidan. The priest stayed behind for only a minute, commenting to Ino in a subdued mutter.

"Damn stitch face, I only came here because he made me." With a stretch of his head, he followed after Kakuzu, slouching.

Deidara looked confused as usual, but nodded to Ino. "I finished my mission early, un. Leader-sama told me what you were doing and I wanted to help, un."

She smiled, crouching near where he sat on the ground. "I'm glad you did, I really needed your help you know."

He grinned, shifting to stand shakily. "No big deal, I wanted to blow something up anyway, un. I'll see you back at the hideout." With a smirk, he lofted onto his clay dragon and flew off into the distance as she stared after him.

"I finally did it..." She rose to her feet slowly.

Sasori stepped next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You fought well. You've improved more than even I thought possible."

She turned to face him, smiling. "I guess I surprised even myself." With one last glance up at him, she put the Akatsuki ring on her left pinky, the final piece of the puzzle in place at last.

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A/N: Holy bananas that was a long one! All the better, I won't be able to write all next week! Why? SPRING BREAK, YEAH! So I won't be able to do anything until I get back. I will return on the 16th, and then I'll be back in the writing spirit! Hope this will tide you over til then. Go read some other people's stuff while you're at it. OH YEAH ONE MORE THING! Ikuwasachi also means "Equusachi" Equus is a legendary horse. Now you get it, yes?


	16. Penance

A/N: Well... I wrote some of this while at home (don't tell!) and hey, I can't stay away from this fan fic business forever, you know. Why don't I like writing at home? Well, for one, all I can use is my mom's laptop. And it has Vista, even. Blech. Remember, kids, do not operate Vista without remembering the Vista acronym: Violently Incapacitates System's Typical Actions! 

There are a few "very interesting" things going on right now so enjoy! Hopefully there will be a few surprises. I'm trying to stick with the actual story line, and a few things have changed because of Ino's influence on the other members. I'm sure you'll see where I'm going with this. Who wants to give us the disclaimer today?

Ino: OOH! ME ME!

Deidara: No, me! Pick me, un!

Sasori: Secret Sheik does not own Naruto. This is fan fiction.

Deidara: That was mean Danna, un.

Ino: ...

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Part 16 - "Penance"

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The day they had raided Orochimaru's compound, Sasuke hadn't actually died. "He's Itachi's conquest, after all," Kakuzu had explained. "Had to do a fucking torture ritual instead of a death ritual," Hidan complained. Despite that, Ino didn't care who killed the idiot, as long as she had her ring. And now, at long last, she could participate in the sealing ritual. There was only one problem.

"Uh... Pein-sama? What exactly is the sealing ritual, anyway?" Not like she knew. Without her ring, she was essentially useless, and wasn't allowed to attend.

He stared at her for only a second before realizing that she really couldn't know. "We use the nine dragons seal to extract the Bijuu from a Jinchuuriki. Most of the time we do it while using the shadow specter technique so our real bodies don't have to be in the same room."

"Oh! So you're helping them by taking out those monsters. And then they can go back to their villages?"

He hesitated slightly, avoiding her eyes. "No. Once a Bijuu is extracted from its host, the host will die."

She gasped slightly. They wanted to kill Gaara? And Naruto, probably. Them and anyone else unfortunate enough to have these things sealed in their bodies. Could she really do that? She loved her new family, but she also didn't want to kill these people that had already had a horrible life. Maybe she could get out of it? Maybe she could try to convince them not to do it? "Isn't there any other way to extract them without the host dying?"

His gaze returned to look at her directly as he shook his head. "No, not that I know of. Why?"

This time she hesitated. "I don't really want to kill them if we don't have to. I know how hard it was for them, I saw how they were treated by other people. They're looked down upon as demon scum, they don't have any friends and they would probably be ignored by their fellow villagers if we came after them."

"Yes, that's right. The ones we have so far were practically given to us by their villages. We were even aided in some of the quests. Their ignorance will be their downfall, after we use the bijuu to our advantage."

That brought up another good question. "What do you plan to do with those things anyway?"

He smirked slightly. "Take over the world, of course. Don't worry about my plans. Just trust me to do what's right for us and the rest of the world." With a nod, he disappeared into the shadows of the hall, leaving her just as confused as when they started talking. Take over the world? Secret plans? Did anyone else know about this?

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Ino waited alone in the great cave, waiting for Sasori and Deidara to get back from capturing Gaara. She had reluctantly agreed to try this sealing ritual, even now that she knew what would become of him. The other members she had asked knew about it too, and either didn't care or thought it was necessary for the organization. For the good of the organization, she would do it. Right?

Before long, Deidara returned first, his giant bird holding the unconscious Gaara in its mouth unceremoniously. Soon after, Sasori returned, in a slightly better mood than usual. She grinned down at the puppet Hiruko. "What are you so happy about, Sasori?"

He smirked as best as the puppet could. "I had a very interesting fight with another puppet user."

Deidara scoffed. "You should have just poisoned him, Danna, un."

"There was no point." Hiruko's low voice grumbled with irritation. "All I had to do was knock the kid out, there was no reason to make him suffer."

He tilted his head, curious. "You sure have changed, un."

Ino stared at the giant clay bird uneasily. "Now what?"

Deidara followed her gaze, then looked back at her. "Now we wait for the sealing to begin, un."

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"Pein, I'm very concerned about that medical nin Ino. She has, as you said, done a great job for the organization, but I wonder what she will do now that she knows the Jinchuuriki will have to die." Tobi, or rather, Uchiha Madara, stared across the room at Pein, his body hidden in shadows but his lone sharingan glowing through the dark.

Pein glared at the man, his fingers clasped together tightly with concentration. "I'm not concerned. I know she will do what she must for the good of the organization."

"Will she? Would she do it even if she knew of your real plans? I wonder. No, she has too much compassion, too many emotions left. I don't think she will do all this without a struggle. She needs to lose some of those ridiculous emotions of hers before we can go on much further."

His mouth tightened with suppressed anger. "Her emotions are what has been keeping this organization stable. I will not ask her to give them up so callously."

Madara chuckled, and Pein could almost hear his grin. "Oh, this is amusing. Are you regaining your emotions, Pein? I suppose you never truly lost them all in the first place, did you? I wonder just how low you will sink before you realize what a detriment this is. What if her morality causes her to rebel? Can you really bring yourself to deal with her if that happens? Are you too soft to kill her if it's needed?" He ducked as Pein tossed a kunai at him out of frustration. It would never come to that!

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The sealing ritual wasn't anything spectacularly difficult. All she had to do was focus her energy into the ring and it did the rest for her. However, the ritual had one big problem. It took three days and three nights. All they had time for besides the ritual was a quick bathroom break and a snack. Even elite ninjas couldn't hold both bladder and stomach indefinitely. Though it pained her inside to watch Gaara suffer through the long sealing ritual, she kept telling herself that it was for the good of the organization. Sometime during the process, Zetsu announced the arrival of two groups of Konoha ninja. Itachi and Kisame used Pein's special jutsu to send body copies out on the field to encounter the group first. The second time would be taken care of by Deidara, Sasori and herself. With enough time bought for the moment, she concentrated on the ritual.

Even once she knew that Gaara was dead, she didn't let it get to her. She couldn't. If she gave it too much thought, it would only distract her from the task at hand. It would distract her from the ninjas just outside the door. The enormous rock covering the entrance suddenly burst apart, blown to pieces in an instant by Sakura's chakra imbued punch. That was impressive, Ino had to admit.

As expected, the one to scream and charge first was Naruto. What a moron! She watched from the shadows with vague interest, not really caring what they were talking about. Her eyes were on the member she had least expected to be with their small group. Why was Shikamaru here? Maybe he wanted to find out more about her. It was common knowledge that she was always with Sasori and Deidara. Had he come to face off against her once and for all? That would be an interesting match. And who was that old lady? She frowned as Deidara took off with Gaara's body, his clay bird soaring quickly from the cave. Naruto and Kakashi left to pursue him while the old lady, Sakura and Shikamaru glared across at Sasori.

For the moment, she was content to watch. After all, she was Sasori's trump card. That, and she wanted to see just how well he would do against them. To her surprise, Shikamaru stayed out of the battle for the time being, watching just like she did as the battle commenced. The puppet Hiruko was all too quickly demolished and she stifled a gasp as she watched Sasori's hard work get so easily pummeled. Well, that wasn't exactly his best puppet. When he chose to use himself, then the battle got serious. He wasn't as careless as usual, not taking as heavy a beating as he may have done in the past. Why? Why was he so careful?

He didn't want to die. Not when he was so close to figuring out his true self. Not in front of her. Even though Hiruko had been allowed to fall, and now even Sandaime Kazekage threatening to quit, he would not allow himself to fall. He loved her too much to give up like that.

An iron block hurtled towards Sakura, and Ino grinned as she saw the kunoichi moving to punch it. With a smirk, Ino quickly summoned her tempest bolt to strike the iron block, the bolt hitting just as Sakura hit the block. The girl was knocked out immediately, stunned but not killed. This was boring anyway. She wanted a piece of the action now! Her slight figure emerged from the shadows, glaring down at the old woman and Shikamaru. Sasori had called this old woman his grandmother. Another puppet master, at that. But none of them had counted on Ino being there after spending so long in the shadows. With a grin, she glared down at Shikamaru. "Hmm, I wonder why you're here, pineapple hair. It couldn't be because of me, could it?"

His jaw clenched nervously before he spoke. "Yeah. It's troublesome, but I need to take you back to Konoha."

She laughed at this ridiculous statement. Take her back? What, by force? What a joke! Like she was ever going back there! "You idiot, I left that place a long time ago, I'm not going back. You gonna try and make me?" Her voice was teasing, condescending. He really had no idea what he was getting into, did he?

Sasori looked over at her lazily. "What, are you getting bored already?"

She stretched, looking back at him. "You can't make me wait all day, you know!"

He smiled fondly, thinking that he had indeed rubbed off on her just a little. "Fine, take care of that one, but leave the other to me."

She sighed but nodded. "Fine, fine, whatever you like." Her gaze returned to Shikamaru. "It's troublesome, just like you say all the time. I'm not going to Konoha, so give up while you can."

Shikamaru glared right back at her. "I'm not going to give up on you." He hesitated, keeping his voice low in a whisper. "I still care about you, and I won't let you just run away like Sasuke!"

She scowled down at him. "Run away? Wouldn't that imply that I was being chased? The only time you ever found me was a complete accident, and we came looking for YOU at that! How can you say you still care about me?" She made a note to say everything loud enough for all to hear.

He didn't falter in the least. "We did try to find you right away, we searched for weeks but the scent trail you left was so broken up, nobody could tell where you were. All we could do was wait until you showed up again."

What an excuse that was! "That's your excuse? It didn't stop all of you from looking for Sasuke all this time!"

"The Hokage ordered us to stop the search for you."

Her fists clenched. "She didn't even order a search for Sasuke, if I remember right. But I also remember that Naruto insisted constantly on chasing after him anyway. You could have done that too, you know. If you really cared as much as you say, you could have chased after me anyway. So what if I was with an Akatsuki member? Sasuke was with a former member, and a Sannin at that. You have no excuse. You were just too damn lazy."

He finally relented, trying to avoid her gaze. "I've always been too lazy to do much of anything. Even if I really cared about something, I wouldn't bother. But... I care now, and I'm here, aren't I? This time I came just to find you. The Hokage didn't want me on this mission, but I went anyway. I'll get you back no matter what it takes!"

She scoffed, glaring at him. "It's too late now. You had your chance. I'm taken, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Her fist glowed, water chakra layered underneath a surge of lightning chakra, completely controlled after all that long training. Though nobody knew it, she almost had as much chakra as Kakuzu by now, not nearly close to Kisame but actually surpassing Sasori. Training with shadow clones had accelerated her learning as well as her chakra growth and control. She dashed forward in an instant, creating a few shadow clones even as she surged forth with her imbued fist. Her speed easily surprised him, catching him off guard at every turn, even though he always dodged at the last minute. He was still underestimating her! Time to teach him about that... Hiding her seals behind a flurry of shadow clones, she formed the summoning blood seal. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Her chakra was more than enough now to summon the same horse she had used before on him, the two headed beast. One head glowed bright yellow, the other a pale blue, each an aspect of the lightning element.

The space of the cave was far too small for Ikuwasachi, and she didn't want to disgrace him by summoning him to fight such a weak opponent. Although the ceiling was partially gone, the wide shadows caused by the mouth of the opening gave him plenty of range with his shadow imprisonment jutsu. She never gave him the time to use it, sticking to close combat and intricate hand to hand moves. After a moment she leaped onto the horse's back, forming a few seals as the remainder of her shadow clones distracted him. She could see from the corner of her eye that Sasori was slowly winning against the old woman. He would probably get done before her and whine about her taking too much time. Better make this quick. "Lightning style, strangling eels!" That was actually a snappy name. This was a new technique she had been trying to perfect for days, never getting it quite right. However, she got it perfect now, lightning taking the shape of eels that circled around Shikamaru's form, curling around in a tight strangle hold. They shocked him over and over until he was nearly passed out.

She crouched over him, seeing that Sasori was doing the same to the old woman. Her partner knocked the old lady out cold, leaving her there. Although he showed some mercy, she couldn't do the same for Shikamaru. Her kunai lay poised at his throat, her hand clenched with anticipation. A bead of sweat dripped down her brow as she readied her kunai for the final strike...

------

A/N: I know you just LOVE cliff hangers. No? Pft... you're no fun. Well, this is all I could write before people got home, you know? Sorry, you'll just have to wait til next time!


	17. Quarry

Just to let you all know: I will be going to Anime Detour this year. It's in Minnesota, and I want to see if any of you are going. I'll be cosplaying as Pein (Yes, I am female and I don't mind dressing male. It's Pein after all...) and I hope to see some of my fans! Let me know, maybe I'll make a name tag that says Secret Sheik on it or something.

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Part 17 - "Quarry"

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She hovered over him, her kunai poised and ready, but her hand clenched into a fist, knocking Shikamaru out cold. Though she had won the battle, she couldn't bring herself to end it with him looking at her like that. Maybe now that he was unconscious she could do it. Maybe she could never do it. Why did she hesitate when her goal was so close? No, he needed to die, he would never leave her alone if he lived. Even so, she hesitated, not sure what to do.

Sasori approached from behind, looking the scene over carefully. "You're not going to kill him?"

Her mouth tensed in a tight frown, her eyes refusing to meet his. "Not yet. It's not the right time, not the right way."

"Should I poison him and make him suffer?"

That was an interesting offer, but she refused. "No, I need to do it myself. But not right now. We need to use him to get more information."

"Good idea, but we could use the other medic for information instead. He's disposable."

"I suppose you're right." Her eyes drifted down to the helpless body underneath her, wondering what it would be like to have this person's blood spilled in front of her. In the past, killing had been easy. The targets were unfamiliar shinobi, people she had never met. This time was different. "I still can't kill him right now."

He crouched next to her, the light from above casting shadows all around them. His eyes were cautious, though she could tell his emotions were conflicting. "Why not?"

She wasn't completely sure herself. Something about this didn't feel quite right. Her woman's intuition was kicking in, and she couldn't ignore it. "I don't know, but I feel like he could tell us a few things that she couldn't, and vice versa. Two hostages are better than one, after all."

He rose to pick up Sakura, looking behind at her curiously. "True enough. At the very least, he will be able to tell us more about his unusual shadow technique."

Though neither said anything further, they both knew that they were treading on thin ice.

------

"Who are these ninjas?" Pein stared down at Sakura and Shikamaru curiously, walking through the sealed interrogation room quietly. He spotted both Konoha forehead protectors and waved away an explanation. "Nevermind, I can guess. But why did you bring them both?"

Ino tried to think of a good reason. "I know that Sakura is close to the Hokage, she is the Fifth's apprentice and all. She would know several secrets that I don't. Shikamaru's family is one that holds quite a bit of land in Konoha, and not only would they pay dearly to get him back, but I know that several other clans are attached to his. He would be able to tell us more about the clans in Konoha." Actually, that WAS a good reason. It was true that he would know all kinds of clan secrets.

"Interesting. And you don't know these secrets yourself?"

"No," she admitted reluctantly, "I never really paid attention to all the different clans." She realized how completely ignorant this sounded, and added one more comment. "I suppose that is why joining your organization helped me. I've realized that there are more important things than being popular and getting guys."

She soon regretted that comment when Pein grinned up at her. "Oh really? And is this one of the guys that you were trying to get?" Sasori finally glanced up at her. He wanted to know too.

Well, she couldn't completely deny it. In the past, she had tried several times to get to him, but he always ignored her or called her too troublesome. "I did, at one point. But I was always too much of a pain, not worth the effort. I'm over it now, I have no interest in him whatsoever. Why should I bother? He's too troublesome." She grinned slightly, looking up at Sasori. "Maybe I don't have the patience either."

Pein seemed to realize that an endearing moment was impending, and he coughed to break the tension. "Then you won't mind if I question them. I won't hurt them unnecessarily. All I need is to get some information. Using my Rin'negan should be quite enough. I don't think you should be around for this part..." Ino and Sasori took the hint and left the room, knowing that although there would be no blood spilled, there would be enough screams to resound through half the hideout. Neither needed to speak to each other to know where they wanted to go. They walked up the long staircase outside to sit on the outer balcony of the hideout in the village of rain. Even if they were seen, nobody would care. Here in the rain country, Pein was the only authority. Their black cloaks with red clouds wouldn't be looked at twice.

She sat next to him closely, used to the regular contact. Although the roof was thick and she wouldn't hear the hollers from below, she still knew it was going on. It didn't help. Sasori watched her with concern, knowing that it was difficult for her to confront her old friends. She never seemed to mind knocking her friends out, but as for torture and death... she seemed hesitant. He reached for her hand reassuringly, seeing her smile weakly back. It was similar to how he always felt agitated by being in Suna. Neither wanted to be reminded of home.

Pein appeared next to Ino suddenly, his habit of sneaking up on people never failing to surprise her. "Ino-chan, the ninja Sakura refuses to say anything at all except that she wants to talk to you. I've isolated her for the time being. Could you talk to her and see if you can get her to tell us anything?"

She bit her lip and nodded, rising slowly. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

He motioned down the stairs, nodding. She's in the room to the right of the interrogation room. I trust you to do the right thing." His gaze was worried, but she could tell that he did trust her. Such trust that she had so painstakingly earned. She wouldn't mess that up, not now. Resolutely, she walked down the metal stairs into the compound, her heels clanking on the cold steel. Why was she so nervous? It was Sakura, not Shikamaru. She could at least talk to her. She felt her ring click on the metal door knob, a constant reminder of her vow to Akatsuki. Her decision had been made long ago.

Sakura looked nervous, her pink hair disheveled and eyes not focusing on any one spot until Ino closed the door behind her. "Sakura?" The pink haired nin's green eyes suddenly shot up, caught between anger and confusion. Ino noticed that Sakura hadn't been chained or otherwise forced into submission, leading her to believe that Sakura might actually comply and tell her something. Still, that look on her face was disconcerting.

"Why, Ino...? Why did you leave? How could you abandon Konoha?"

Ino smiled, tilting her head. "I thought I was asking the questions, Forehead." She sighed, continuing to speak. "They didn't care about me. Yeah, they tried to save me because I was a decent ninja, and a member of Konoha, but... they never really cared. They always gave me easy missions, always complimented me every time I did some small, silly jutsu, never pushing me to my limit. But here..." She hesitated. How could she explain how much being in Akatsuki had done for her? Maybe she could demonstrate? "Maybe it's better if I show you." She put her fingers together and then drew them apart, letting thin strands of lightning flow between them. It was similar to Sasori's chakra strings, but she could use them for other purposes. "If I never left Konoha, I wouldn't know anything about elemental affinity. Come on, Sakura, you know what it's like! Our senseis never took us seriously. They always trained the boys, we were always pushed aside. You were lucky to get Tsunade to teach you. I had... nothing."

Sakura was silent for a moment, watching with slight awe as she saw Ino's elemental jutsu, trying to make sense of it all. "Yeah, Kakashi always trained with Sasuke or Naruto, and I was just... left alone. I barely learned anything except cold facts and textbook knowledge. On the field I was worthless."

Ino nodded energetically. "Then do you understand? Your intelligence was going to waste back then, left to be something people only needed on test day. That's how I felt. But I didn't have a Hokage to train me personally, you know? Even with her help, your intelligence is still going to waste."

Sakura glanced up suddenly, her eyes widening. "No, it's not. I'm helping Konoha."

"I used to think that way too. But... I was useless. I would go around, pretending to be a shinobi, thinking I was doing my best because everyone was gushing about me at every turn. When I started training here, I got a real smack in the face when I realized just how weak I was. If I fought you, you would see it for yourself."

That earned her a small smile. "I'd like to see that." Her look turned sad again. "I guess I can understand why you would leave Konoha after all that. All we ever got there was a heaping load of disappointment."

Ino nodded to her reassuringly. "Exactly. Sakura... please stay long enough to have a practice fight with me. It might mean giving a little information, but I can guarantee it would be worth the wait!"

"I guess... Maybe I'll just refuse to say anything until I see that."

"Alright. I'm sure that would be fine with the leader. He really doesn't want to hurt anyone unless it's necessary." She turned to leave, giving Sakura a calm smile. Maybe she could understand. What would come of that? Would Sakura join Akatsuki too, if only she saw what a great benefit it was?

------

"Absolutely not." Uchiha Itachi glared at Pein with as much sullen attitude as he was allowed. No way was he going to do that.

Pein sighed, his gray eyes glinting with irritation. "You know why you need to be the one to do it."

Itachi hesitated for an absurdly long moment, finally relenting. "Fine. But I better be getting something out of this."

He grinned. "I'm sure you will."

------

Ino walked through the long hallway just after lunch, trying to find Pein. No matter where she looked, she just couldn't find him. A sudden noise in one of the shadowed corridors reached her ears, and just once she would love to be the one that snuck up on him! It would be just like him to wait in the shadows, ready to pounce on the next unsuspecting member! She would get him this time. Another rustle. Pein, you really suck at hiding right now, she thought to herself. Her thin body flattened against the wall, her eyes carefully looking around the corner. There he was, completely gone from the outside world because his whole being was completely distracted by the woman in front of him. It was obvious that they were kissing. She suppressed a burst of laughter, barely keeping it in. So he told her after all! Konan was always so moody when he wasn't around, maybe this would help.

She left them alone, wondering who she would ask now that the leader and his second in command were tied up in... well... each other. Who would be the next person to ask? As she walked back through the hall and into the lounge, Itachi was sitting on one of the couches and beckoned to her soundlessly. She wondered what might be up this time, and waited for him to speak when she reached him. "Ino... About that pink haired ninja... We need to take her out and see what she can do. Leader ordered it."

That had to be the longest sentence he had ever said. Then again, it had to do with work. A small improvement, at least. "Oh! I was just about to go ask, but uh... he's busy."

"Hn... I noticed." He rose abruptly, walking alongside her as they silently agreed to do what was asked, going to where Sakura was being held. At the sight of Itachi, Sakura tensed, but Ino reassured her and told her that nobody was going to hurt her. Though she hesitated, she had no choice in the matter, and she followed them down into the underground training arena. Space in the midst of the technologically advanced rain country was limited, and they had needed to build either up or down to compensate.

While Itachi kept watch at the only entrance, Kisame made a surprise appearance soon after, his signature grin plastered all over his face. Itachi glared up at the shark nin, just as surprised to see him there. "Kisame... this was ordered only for me. Why are you here?"

Kisame smirked. "I wanted to see the action!" His eyes glanced at Sakura as she readied herself, his smile slowly fading. "Well, that's not good. Ino will definitely win."

Itachi's slender eyebrow raised with amusement. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Sakura is earth based, I can tell. This won't be any fun." Despite this, he stayed in the room, watching anyway. Not like he had anything better to do on this slow night. They didn't have another mission for weeks.

Ino barely heard that comment, but she registered it quickly. It made sense that Sakura was her elemental opposite. Even so, her chakra punches and monstrous strength were nothing to sneeze at, and Ino didn't make the mistake of underestimating Sakura. She layered water and lightning chakra carefully, noting that both Kisame and Itachi sounded impressed. Not that she was trying to impress them. Even so, when she summoned a few shadow clones, each holding a hand full of layered chakra, she supposed that compared to how she used to be, this was pretty darn impressive. Sakura's punches were fearsome, but for some reason Ino saw each of them in slow motion, wondering where all that old speed had gone. She was slow, and Ino dodged every punch easily. What was going on?

Itachi saw what was wrong plainly with the sharingan. Ino's speed had reached an astounding level, compensating for her lack of overall power. Sakura had a great amount of power, but not enough speed. Earth was a slow element, changing only after eons of weathering and compression, more powerful than any other force but lacking speed. Lightning was the essence of speed, gone before one could blink. It changed in an instant, over before anyone even realized it had happened.This fight was decided long before it started. Kisame had been right all along.  
The battle had lasted only a few minutes before Sakura was knocked to the ground.

The pink haired nin slowly rose to her feet, looking back at Ino incredulously. "How... how did you move so fast?"

Ino glanced down at her own body, wondering the same thing. "I don't know, you just looked so slow. It was really strange. Maybe it's because you're earth aligned. Lightning is faster, right?" She looked back at Itachi who nodded. "That's alright. Earth has quite a few advantages, I'm sure you could learn enough to compensate for your lack of speed."

Itachi frowned slightly. "We're not here to give her pointers."

Sakura brought up a good point. "Why ARE we here?"

He shrugged. "Leader said to watch you and see how you fared against Ino. I didn't ask why."

She smirked, walking up to him slowly. "Maybe you should." Her mouth twisted into a grin as she saw his confused expression. Not that it was too different from his usual expression, but if he was anything like Sasuke, that slight twitch at the corner of his eye meant confusion. This was going to be an interesting few days. Or however long they planned to keep her. What the heck did they want with her anyway? The Hokage's secrets? Not like there was much to tell. Although... no. She would save that secret for last. It was for the good of Sasuke, if he still lived. She wouldn't reveal the greatest Uchiha secret, no matter what happened.

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A/N: Whee! Sakura knows something we don't! I can already hear the fan girls saying "Nooooo Sakura is alive! Waaaaah!" Hey. Relax. This WILL get fun, I promise you. She'll be a side character, nothing serious. And Shika? Well I'm not sure what I want to do to him yet. Please go outside and take a deep breath of fresh air. Right now. Go do it. I'll wait. -3 minutes pass- Did you do it? Good. Now relax, clear your mind. Sakura will not be an irritating pain in the butt. Ok?

EDIT: Story word count so far: IT'S OVER FORTY THOUSAAAAAAND! Er... Haha... Vegeta reference. Sorry.


	18. Raconteur

Guh, so many people saying "Please don't pair Sakura with Itachi!" Who said she was going to be the side pairing? I already have a side pairing in here! Good grief. Pein and Konan should be plenty of side pairing for you all. Sheesh. So you wanna see her die, huh? Meh... at least let her live long enough to give out the big secret. When she does, Itachi's gonna be pissed and someone will probably end up killing Sakura anyway. See? I knew you'd like it. As for battles... yeahhhh I know I skimped on the last one. I was in a bit of a rush to get it done, and there will be a more interesting fight pretty soon.

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Part... what, 18? Yeah. "Raconteur"

--

Itachi had been right about one thing: Sakura was NOT there for Ino to give pointers to! Nothing like a bit of cold Uchiha logic to put an end to that. Sakura was their enemy, and they had to question and then probably kill her. Ino knew it was inevitable, but she dreaded killing her childhood friend. Sakura had been the only one she felt somewhat close to back in the academy. Could she really kill her if it came to that?

--

"Pein, we have to kill all three of them before things get out of control." Madara stood in the shadows of Pein's room, mask in hand and his lone sharingan glowing menacingly. He glanced down at his orange swirled mask contemplatively. "You have to do it. You are their leader, after all. You know what is best for them..."

Pein frowned up at the Uchiha, his own Rin'negan glowing steely gray. "No, we need to hold those two for questioning. Ino has shown herself to be loyal to the organization several times over, why would we need to kill her?"

"You're such an idiot. The longer we keep the other Konoha nin around, the harder it will be for her to be loyal to the organization. She is still connected to them somewhat. We need to eliminate everything that ties her to that village or eliminate her."

"That's not necessary." Pein stood abruptly, walking to look Madara in the eye. Only these two had ever dared to look the other in the eye without fear. "If she strays, her connection with us will be enough to draw her back. I know she has stronger connections to the organization than she does to her old friends. There's nothing to worry about. You know how she is with Sasori. He alone is enough to guarantee her loyalty."

He nodded, considering. "Sasori has always been perfectly loyal, but what if she wants him to desert with her? Then we would have a far uglier mess on our hands."

"They won't leave." Pein's eyebrows met, an angered expression on his face. "The Akatsuki is a family now, they won't leave us." He frowned and left the room in a hurry, not wanting to talk to this person anymore.

Madara sighed, looking down at his mask thoughtfully. "Well, Pein, it's like you always said... if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself..."

--

Meanwhile in the land of snow, Itachi trudged up a snow covered mountain, shivering even with the cover of his thick Akatsuki cloak.

"Damn Leader... I really better be getting something good out of all this."

--

"Ino... is Sasuke... dead?" Sakura had been allowed outside the compound, though only because Ino agreed to watch her. Her green eyes looked worried.

Ino shook her head. "No, but he was in a lot of pain, I'm sure. Itachi has a score to settle with Sasuke, so Hidan and Kakuzu left him alone."

"Itachi... What does he want with Sasuke?"

"I don't know. But he's nothing like Sasuke. He almost seems like he... regrets killing off his clan sometimes. I can't help but wonder what happened back then."

Sakura tensed. "If I tell you, will you keep it a secret?"

Her eyes widened. "You know? Yeah, I won't tell anyone."

Sakura's voice lowered. "They say that Itachi wasn't the only one to go around killing people that day. There was another unidentified person helping him. He-" She was interrupted by the sound of scuffling feet in the bushes. The orange masked ninja waved energetically as he emerged from the shadows.

"Hey Ino-chan! Tobi came to say hello!"

Ino smiled and the two girls rose to greet him. "Hey Tobi!"

Sakura looked up at the masked nin curiously. "Tobi? He's kinda weird."

Ino smirked. "Yeah, but he's really friendly!"

Tobi put an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Yes, Tobi is a good boy!" Before anyone could blink, Tobi had pulled out a kunai and deftly sliced through Sakura's throat, dropping her body unceremoniously.

Ino stood there in shock, utterly horrified. "T-Tobi...?" Her legs shook as she tried to regain her composure, realizing that this could mean danger. She reacted just in time, creating a shield of lightning as Tobi threw the kunai at her. He looked a little stunned by her reaction speed, and she realized that Tobi was the only one she had never trained in front of. He had no idea what she could do! But all she could manage was a shocked stare in his direction. "Tobi... why?"

A low chuckle sounded through his chest, his voice taking a deep tone. He crouched into an offensive pose and she saw that something red glinted from the hole in his mask. What was that? "Stupid girl. You're in the way!" She had no idea what was going on, but she sure as heck wasn't going to die here! He charged at her, the red light from his lone eye glowing fiercer than ever, and she instinctively avoided looking him in the eye. Something about it wasn't right. And then it hit her. What Sakura said before... Someone had been there with Itachi that day of the Uchiha slaughter. The greatest Uchiha secret... there was still one more alive, and he had helped bring on their demise.

He held out his hands, fire chakra summoned into them, sending a rush of heat out in her direction. This guy had every intention of killing her, just like he had done to Sakura. She had to admit, his plan had been exceptional. Who would have suspected that a dope like Tobi would have slashed someone's throat like that? She summoned lightning chakra to her own hands, layering it over water chakra. To her surprise, he added a chakra layer over his own fire chakra, imbuing it with wind. That looked very complicated... he was far more experienced than he let on. Just as the two charged at each other, a large body forced its way between them, the enormous orange haired man stopping their chakra with his hands. Belatedly, she recognized this as another of Pein's aspects, one he didn't use often. The large man glared down at Tobi and soon two other bodies of Pein, the summoner and Yahiko's aspect, cornered Tobi from behind.

The chakra nullifying aspect grabbed Tobi's hand suddenly as the Yahiko aspect glared, approaching carefully. "I should have known you would do this."

Tobi growled menacingly. "Pein... What are you doing? You know this is the only way!"

Ino gasped lightly at Tobi's forward use of Pein's name, moving around the chakra absorber to guard against the masked nin. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew that Pein would help her, and her hands lit again with lightning chakra. Pein's Yahiko aspect strode forth casually, glancing down at the blaring sharingan. "Rule number one: Do not kill fellow Akatsuki members. Surely you remember the rules you made yourself."

Tobi struggled against the firm grip on his arm, lashing out with his free hand only to have it grabbed by the summoner. "You idiot... Don't you know a traitor when you see one? Don't you remember what Orochimaru did? We can't let that happen again."

Pein's mouth quirked with amusement. "Yes, we've had so much trouble from Konoha ninja. I suppose you of all people would know how that is. I told you before, though. I trust her to do what's right." He looked up at Ino, his steely eyes meeting her icy blue ones, and for some reason she didn't feel afraid of meeting that gaze. In a way, it was her sign of trust in him, as much as it was his trust in her. She nodded in confirmation, and he returned his gaze back to Tobi. "You are the fool. The only thing you will get out of this is your own death."

Tobi chuckled in that odd low tone again. "Really? She wouldn't follow you if she knew about your real plans."

She looked up at Pein hesitantly, but nodded again. "I would."

Pein only sighed. "No, maybe you wouldn't. The bijuu..." He hesitated, looking at her with a nearly guilty gaze. "Their capture will ensure the destruction of the world."

Her fists clenched a little tighter but she held her stance. "That is your goal? Complete destruction?"

Tobi laughed even louder. "You see? She could never follow that goal, none of them could. We lied from the start, telling them that we wanted to dominate the world, not destroy it. But this is the true meaning of Akatsuki's goals. What will you do now that she knows?"

Pein's face flickered into an unexpected smile. "Nothing."

He looked up at those gray eyes with shock. "Nothing!? How can you say that?"

"So what if she knows about the old goals? As long as she can follow the new goals, then there will be no problem."

Her eyes widened. "New goals?"

He nodded. "Yes. I thought about it for a long time." His eyes turned back to Tobi with contempt. "Madara here is the real leader of Akatsuki, but... I'm sick of following his plans. Seeing the way that you were able to help us make a better world, if only on a small scale within our team of comrades... I suppose it restored some of my faith in the ability to recover. I thought that the world was beyond healing, but it seems that a medic nin was all it took to remedy that." He briefly looked back at her, wondering if she really would follow him now that everything had been revealed.

She thought about this for some time, looking to each man in turn. Madara? Why did that name seem familiar? It was a faint thought from back in history class. Had she really caused so much turmoil within Akatsuki simply by being herself? "I originally thought that was the goal of Akatsuki, to make this place a better world. If what I did helped, then... all along, I suppose I really was following the true goal. As long as this is still the right goal, I will follow you."

Madara growled menacingly. "You... No, you will not have me today. I will return for you, ridiculous little lightning nin. And Pein... perhaps I will kill them all in front of you." With a cocky tilt of his head, his body disappeared in a flash of smoke, revealing a log. A simple replacement technique...

Overcome by the sudden implications of all the information, she fell to her knees, mentally exhausted. This Madara person was the real leader? The original goal was to destroy the world, but now... Now to make the world a better place. And what about Madara? His eye had glowed red like the sharingan. Someone had helped Itachi slaughter his clan... what better way to help ensure the downfall of the world than to exterminate Konoha's main police force? Her eyes widened. "Of course... now it all makes sense. Uchiha Madara... I remember! He fought the first Hokage in the Valley of the End. He came back to finish what he started."

Pein didn't seem to know about this, and kneeled next to her. "What do you mean? Can you tell me anything about this?"

She nodded, looking up at him. "I learned about it in history class, I'm surprised I even paid attention back then. The First and Madara fought in the Valley of the End for reasons unknown to anyone. But apparently he's still alive, and he probably helped Itachi kill of the Uchiha clan. I'm sure Itachi has no idea why Madara would want to do such a thing, but I suppose he didn't care. All he wanted was a way to anger his brother. But Madara... maybe from the start, he had his own plans for Konoha, and killing his clan somehow fulfilled these plans."

"Maybe. Even I don't know everything about him."

She hesitated. "Pein-sama... I think we should tell the others."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Even if they don't like the way you did things up until now... maybe if you explain it to them, tell them how Madara was lying to us... I think they would understand. You may be their leader, but you can't be perfect. We all go down the wrong path at some point or another." She smiled reassuringly. "I mean, look at me. I've done things I regret, things that were probably wrong. But maybe now I can live for my real purpose."

He smiled a genuinely relieved smile. "Maybe." His eyes moved sadly over to the fallen form of Sakura. "What about her?"

She moved over to inspect the downed kunoichi, not sure if Sakura had been able to use her medical jutsu in time to heal the enormous gash. It was possible. Her hand moved slowly to feel for a pulse...

--

Itachi sneezed. Someone must be talking about him... or maybe it was just this damn cold.

--

A/N: Whew. I bet you were all waiting for the greatest secret. Actually, if you people allow me to keep Sakura alive, I had a plot device to use her for pretty soon. That and poor Sasori will get into the chapter. He didn't have any lines at all this time, poor guy! Relax, this IS important for the progression of the story. 


	19. Sacrilege

I guess I'm on S now. It seems that most people either wanted Sakura to live or didn't really care either way as long as she wasn't too important or paired. I'll say it again: There will be only two pairings in this story, the main one between Sasori and Ino as well as the side pairing of Pein and Konan. That's it. Sakura might be mildly friendly with a few people, but she's like that anyway. I promise I won't make her an evil, irritating pain.

* * *

Part 19 - "Sacrilege" (guess who THAT refers to...)

"You gave me quite a scare." Ino stared down at Sakura with relief, healing as much of the kunoichi's throat as possible. Sakura ahd received quite a bit of damage and wouldn't be able to speak for at least a week. Despite this, the look of confusion on her face spoke to Ino loudly enough. "I know, it shocked me too. How much did you hear after he hurt you?" A slight glance to the left, and then back up to her eyes again. "Let me guess, everything." A quick, weak nod. Ino sighed. "Damn." She heard a slight knock on the door but she didn't relinquish her place beside Sakura. Silently, she heard a slight tap of wood on metal as Sasori closed the door behind him.

He didn't approach any further than just beyond the door, speaking in his usual bored tone. "I'm surprised she lived through that." His eyes darted up to Ino's, conveniently ignoring the death glare coming from Sakura.

She turned to face him. "She is one of the best medical nin in Konoha, after all. I'm sure that the second it happened, she was able to summon enough chakra to block off an otherwise fatal wound. We're both lucky that Pein-sama showed up when he did..."

His look turned worried quickly. "I heard. I was... really scared."

"Scared?"

"I think so. I don't remember what being scared feels like, but... I was more than worried." He hesitated, not really wanting to make a scene in front of the stranger. Why did he care? It wasn't like his relationship was a secret. Maybe it was to prevent any scrutiny on Ino herself. Whatever it was, all he allowed himself was a slight touch on her shoulder.

She smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, I was fine."

"But I wasn't there." He frowned, looking to the side.

"Nobody expected this to happen, except maybe Pein. That was probably the only reason he showed up at all. That idiot surprised all of us."

He nodded, returning his gaze back up to hers. "We expect it now, he won't catch us off guard again." His gaze turned at last to look at the pink haired kunoichi. "What about her?"

She looked down as well, noticing the glare that Sakura gave Sasori. "I honestly don't know." Sakura's green eyes met her visible blue one. Ino sighed. "Well, there's no helping it, she will have to remain here. She knows too much about Akatsuki now, she heard everything that Pein and Madara said to each other." She watched as Sakura's shocked gaze looked from one to the other, then finally to the same contempt glare at Sasori. Ino sighed again. "I know we all got off to a bad start..."

He smirked. "That's an understatement."

Nevertheless, she would try to set things right. She looked down at Sakura, wondering if the pink haired nin would ever accept the life she had chosen. "Sakura, I know you hate the Akatsuki, but after what you saw... Please understand that we had no idea what was really going on." After a hesitant nod from Sakura, she continued. "I really will try and help make things right again."

Sasori nodded. "I never... really cared what the Leader's plans were, I was so obsessed with my art, I never thought about questioning the one who gave me free reign. It was unfortunate, but it won't happen again."

"No... I need to go now and help Pein explain the situation to the rest of the members." She looked at Sakura reassuringly. "I'll be back later, you just sleep for now." Sasori put his hand on her shoulder, nodding before leading her from the room, though it didn't prevent her from noticing Sakura's raised eyebrow at his small gesture. Think whatever you want, cherry top, she thought to herself. It was probably true.

* * *

"Like this?" Ino shot a lightning imbued chakra string at a piece of wood, but it didn't stick like she had hoped. "What... what am I doing wrong?" After the two had briefed the whole of Akatsuki about the Madara incident - and ten minutes of blank stares - they had retreated into Sasori's studio to catch up on their training for the day.

Sasori watched her attempts critically, sitting next to her on the bed in his studio. She had been trying to shoot a chakra string all the way across to the table at the other side of the room. Although she made it that far, the string never stuck the way his did. "I don't know, are you sucking your chakra back in when it hits the wood?"

"Yeah, I do, but it just... doesn't stick."

"Try again, but don't pull back right away, let it stay there and keep drawing your chakra back in."

"Alright." She tossed one more lightning string out at the wood block, letting it rest at the very edge of the piece, trying hard to grab it with her chakra. She increased the force, frustrated by the difficulty. At the edge of the table, a heavy pair of metal scissors shuddered, then slid suddenly to the end of her chakra string. With a gasp, she pulled the string back, the scissors coming to her hand.

Both their eyes widened at the sight, but he came to a sudden conclusion. "Of course! Your lightning chakra has some form of magnetism to it. It wouldn't attract the wood, but why...?" He inspected the wood piece curiously, turning it around in his hands. "Maybe I attract the wood because I am earth based. That would make sense..."

She looked up at him. "You're earth based? Hey, just like Deidara!"

He shook his head. "Not at all like Deidara. He has an interest in clay, I have an interest in wood. A different concept, just like those who use sand or plants."

"Interesting..." Her eyes drifted to a large metal container at another end of the room. It was heavy, and she wanted to test how much chakra she needed to bring it to her. With a flick, her chakra strand clung to the heavy bucket immediately, clinging to it easily with a loud metallic noise. Regulating her chakra carefully, she noticed it didn't take much effort once she latched on properly. Even very heavy objects would be moveable if she used her chakra efficiently. She suddenly got a very scary gleam in her eye.

Sasori cringed. "You are... going to do something with that, aren't you?"

She smirked, releasing the bucket instantly. "Oh yes." Heavily laden with all the ideas of what she could do with this technique, this was the first thing to come to mind. She beckoned him to follow after her, silently creeping down the hall. Just ahead, Hidan was standing at the edge of the lounge talking - or fighting? - with Kakuzu about money yet again. His long scythe was hanging on his back as usual, and she smiled a very creepy smile. This was going to be fun. Testing a theory, she flicked a chakra string at his scythe, the thread attaching instantly. She yanked back on the string, the scythe nearly flinging from his back to land inches from her head, severing a few stray hairs as the blades embedded themselves in the wall. That was close! Before Hidan could spot them, they escaped back into the studio, hearing a loud chain of curses in their wake. They heard something like "Whoever that was, you touched a fucking sacred artifact!" Whatever he said, they didn't stay long enough to hear the rest.

Sasori almost looked scared. "Never do that again, Ino."

She gulped. "You don't have to tell me twice!"

* * *

Itachi returned a few days after the incident with Madara, soaked by the rain outside, looking completely irritated. With a cold, hard gaze he marched right past his staring fellow Akatsuki members into Pein's office, dropping a very wet package on his desk unceremoniously. Pein raised an eyebrow at this odd behavior but let it pass. "I trust you... had no problems?"

It took all of Itachi's willpower to remain impassive. "Mission complete."

"Straight to the point as always." His eyebrows furrowed sharply. "While you were gone, however, there was a bit of an incident. It seems I sent you on this mission just in time."

Itachi's firmly set gaze didn't falter. "Already? He didn't waste any time."

"No, he didn't." He sighed, opening the package slowly, examining the encased scroll and a hand full of strange glowing crystals. "I'm sure you had quite a bit of trouble with the weather. Had I known you would arrive early, I would have helped you out a little..."

Itachi brushed it off. "Hn..."

He inspected a red crystal, watching it glint in the light. "As I promised, you will get a good reward out of this. Not only will you get your payment, but..." His steely eyes glinted with anticipation. "But we will both get a good show when I put these to use..."

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Ino looked at Kakuzu skeptically.

He chuckled and shrugged. "No."

Sasori stood nearby, offering whatever advice he could. "You never know until you try... Just be sure to use your chakra control like you did before."

She nodded briskly. "Well... No use in not trying..." She formed a few quick seals, letting her lightning chakra flow into each one. "Lightning style, Flashing Steed!" Her chakra took the form of a horse, similar to her summon but this was a completely ethereal being composed of her own chakra, controlled by her chakra strings. The creature trotted forth as she twitched the strings experimentally, following her every command. It was an interesting thing, and she had another thought. Dispelling her justu and re-concentrating her chakra, she used water chakra this time to imbue her strings. "Water style, Languid Steed!" The horse this time formed like water, just as ethereal and dashing straight ahead just as the other being had done. Interesting...

Kakuzu nodded his head approvingly. "Not bad. Your chakra can take the form of horses, just like your summons. Somewhat like Kisame's chakra taking the form of sharks. Can you use fire to make one?"

Well, it was worth a shot. This time she sent fire chakra through the strings, a bit trickier than lightning or water, but not too risky. "Fire style, Raging Steed!" The fire horse burst forth from the chakra strings, seeming eager to prance through the dry forest, but she held it back expertly. She'd have to watch this one. "Not that hard, actually. The movement of the horse itself is minimal compared to the actual summoning. I don't have to use much chakra."

"I wonder... could you use earth style?"

She tensed. "I'm not sure. I still have quite a bit of chakra left... I guess I could try it." Hesitantly, her hands flew into a few earth seals. "Earth style, Quaking Steed!" Though the technique drained her more than the others, it was nothing compared to the very first time she had tried an earth justu. The chakra loss seemed to be almost negligible. She smiled, controlling the prancing horse joyfully. "Look, see? I can't believe it..."

He chuckled at her expression. "A lot easier nowadays, isn't it?"

"Yeah... I wonder if I could use two horses at once!"

He laughed even harder. "Ambitious, aren't you?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" She instantly transferred the earth horse over to just one hand, summoning the lightning horse with the other. "That's a good thing about horses, four limbs and a head... four fingers and a thumb. I can control each major part with one hand."

Sasori watched her practice with a smile. She really had grown so much over all these months. He looked up to see that the sun had nearly set, and waved at her briefly. "Ino, time to go back. It's nearly dark."

She reluctantly joined him at his side, walking next to him in the quiet forest as Kakuzu found his own way back much later. Alone, they kept to the path, the silence in the trees being the only thing said between them for some time. Before long, her thoughts from much earlier caught up with her. "What are we going to do about Madara?"

He stopped when she stopped in her tracks, looking up at her worried expression. "I don't know. He knows where all the hideouts are. I'm sure that Leader will actually keep the current hideouts the way they are just to give Madara a place to openly attack. I have no idea what that man is capable of... But whatever happens, we'll fight him."

Her eyes never left his. "I will too." Before he could protest, she spoke again. "I'm on the same level as the rest of you now. This is my fight as much as it is the rest of Akatsuki's, there's no way I'm going to let you all have the fun." She smiled softly.

He only grabbed her suddenly, his embrace surprising but not unwelcome. "Just don't die. Promise me you won't die."

She returned his embrace slowly, not at all sure she could really promise that. "Nothing is certain, Sasori. Even the most well built fortress, meant to withstand time, can fall at the hands of something other than time." His grip on her tightened, her words reaching the recesses of his thoughts. Something that withstands time, but doesn't withstand other forces... that was something that scared him. He remembered now what fear felt like.

* * *

A/N: I'm sleepy... Also... PLEASE stop saying "plz end soon!" You know who you are. Yes, you. This fic will be over when it gets to Z. I now have a definite plot, and I will not change it any more than I already have. Don't worry, I'm sure you all will like it anyway.

EDIT: I just noticed that this place has taken away my usual dashed line, leaving me to use the horizontal rule. I am NOT editing every chapter just because of this. No way. I spent way too long as it is.


	20. Trepidation

Chapter 20, which means a good T word to start the day with. After this, only six chapters remain! Some of you are asking "Well, THEN WHAT??" Maybe I'll just make more fan fics. Who knows?

* * *

Part 20 - "Trepidation"

* * *

Pein surveyed the gathered Akatsuki members tensely, the entire group waiting patiently inside the main meeting room. "Until the matter of Uchiha Madara is settled, there will be no more missions for anyone. We need to take this situation seriously, especially if he ever finds backup. I suspect that he might go to the village hidden in the clouds for support, seeing as we have had an unusually large amount of business against them. Until he is dead, the only missions any of you will have will be those of dire necessity. He knows where we are, and although this is my domain... no risks will be taken." In a flurry of black cloaks, Pein's other aspects flew down to his side. He intended business if he took out every aspect.

Hidan brought up the next good point. "What the fuck are we supposed to do until then?"

Pein's eyes glowed dangerously silver. "Prepare for the oncoming massacre. That's all this will be if he manages to find help..." With almost a look of regret, his other aspects split up, no doubt going to each corner of Amekagure to look for any impending signs of treachery. There was nothing glorious or satisfying about the thought of the upcoming battle. This was a fight purely of necessity.

Each member looked warily around before retreating to their own areas to train, but Ino and Sasori remained in the cove of the lake next to Pein. She quickly voiced what had been bothering her during the short speech. "Where is Konan?"

He tilted his head back at the compound. "Preparing as well. She's been trying to complete a new set of origami creations for this."

Sasori nodded appreciatively. "Always hard at work. We have all progressed steadily these past months, I wouldn't be too worried about the battle. He is a strong enemy, I'll admit that, and he knows most of our strengths and weaknesses already. Even so, after he left we already started training for new techniques. Most of them have been based on cooperative attacks."

Pein's eyebrow rose slightly. "Cooperative attacks?"

"Yes, instead of relying on our own personal attacks all the time, we can team up and do attacks that require both our efforts. Let's show him."

Ino nodded. "Right." She instantly made three shadow clones as Sasori brought out Sandaime to use his iron sand technique, creating weapons on the spot. As soon as the weapons took shape, she latched on to the items, her speed and precision much higher than the puppet. Though the iron sand was a great technique, using it was slow and lethargic due to Sasori's difficulty with controlling metal objects. The pieces were attracted by her magnetic lightning strands, controlled by how heavily her chakra was flowing. It was a precise art, her medical training perfectly complementing the skill.

Pein nodded at their joint effort. "Interesting. You are able to compensate for Sasori's weaknesses and between you negate the major flaws in both of you."

Ino dispelled her clones and returned to a relaxed stance. "That's what we should all be doing if we want to beat Madara. We can't all do this on our own. I know we all have partners, but we never truly work together. What if everyone was capable of joint skills?"

He sighed. "If only it was that easy. If they only got along better..."

Sasori interrupted. "That's the thing. They ARE getting along better. Things have changed around here, remember? For example, you and Ino could have a joint skill."

"Oh really? What might that be?"

"Getting things wet attracts lightning much better than leaving it dry. You can summon the rain and use it to help guide her attacks. Your summoned chameleon can work beside the lightning horse. Also, your chakra absorbing aspect can help me, since I have a lot of chakra but it's always tied up in the puppets. If you can absorb the attacks of my opponents, it would cut down on the things I have to concentrate on."

"I see your point." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I wonder..." His eyebrows met deep in thought and he turned back to head into the base.

Ino looked at Sasori apprehensively. "Do you think that will help? If we all learn from each other, will it turn the tide of battle in our favor?"

He nodded reassuringly. "That's the only thing that can save us now."

* * *

Ino had gone to Konan's room to offer some support, finding her hard at work on her next origami model. The form was still in progress, not seeming to be anything just yet, and Ino sat next to her at the table. "Konan-san, what are you making?"

"I'm not really sure yet." Her fingers folded an edge crisply before responding again. "Would you like to try?"

Her eyes widened. "Me? All I can make right now is flowers."

Konan smiled and handed her a sheet of paper. "Go ahead, show me." As Ino struggled with the paper, Konan a few delicate creases on what was now the wing. Then a beak formed, and a tail, then finally the claws and feet finished off the small griffin that lay on the table. With a surge of chakra, the small being pranced along the table experimentally.

Ino's smile grew at the sight of the little griffin. "Oh! It's a griffin! That's amazing!" Her own eyes drifted down to a simply folded lily in her hand. Well, it was a start.

Konan nodded and picked out another sheet. "Yes, this one will be very useful." A light bulb seemed to click inside her head as her fingers flew deftly into folding another creation, glancing up briefly at Ino's flower. "Not bad, Ino-chan. What else can you make?"

"Just a couple different kinds of cranes."

"Cranes..." Her eyes widened again and before long, a new, devious model sat on top of the table. The monstrosity had three crane heads and three crane tails, the wings sticking out awkwardly at its sides. Her chakra flared and caused each head to thrash independently. "That was a good idea, Ino."

She gaped in surprise. "A three headed crane!"

"A nasty creature, to be certain. I'll have to remember this one." She was startled by Ino's sudden movement, watching the young woman's hands fold something quickly. Soon she had folded a cran, but the tail was elegantly fanned up tall.

Ino held it out to Konan with a smile. "Here, Konan, it's the kotobukizuru (celebration crane)."

She couldn't help but smile at that. "Thank you."

* * *

Deidara was cooking in the kitchen when Sasori and Ino decided to watch. She peered over his shoulder at whatever he was trying to cook. "You're not using those weird mushrooms again, are you?"

He looked back at her with his visible eye. "No, just making a stir fry, un. Want some?"

"Sure, do you want some help?"

"Nah, I've got it, hmm." He flipped the pan up expertly, tossing the vegetables before adding noodles and seasoning. Ino simply sat next to Sasori at the table and watched.

When he placed a bowl of the stir fry in front of her, she tasted and her eyes widened. "This is delicious! What is it?"

Deidara sat across from them with his own bowl. "Recipe from home, un. My mother used to make it all the time before she died."

"You must really miss your home."

Sasori nodded. "Deidara didn't join Akatsuki willingly."

Deidara stared down at his bowl before nodding. "Yeah, un. I was forced here."

"By who?" Ino glanced up at him curiously. "What happened?"

"That damn Uchiha, un. Not all of us wanted to leave our homes, you know. Not that I don't want to be here now, un."

"I suppose you're a little resentful of him."

"Not so much anymore, un." Deidara looked up at both of them and smiled. "I would have been kicked out of Iwa anyway, with all the things I was blowing up. This just gave me a chance to do it and get good friends at the same time, un. It's a good chance to make art, un."

"You're still deluded on what art is, brat." Sasori said this with a smile, taking the harshness out of his retort.

"You're the one that's deluded, un." Deidara also smiled, cleaning up the used dishes from the table. When he returned, he cocked his head arrogantly. "You wouldn't know art if it bit you in your wooden rear, un." Sasori only chuckled at that, leaving the conversation where it was for the time being. Usually it was Deidara that let things slide, but today Sasori made an exception. He really didn't feel like arguing much right now. Ino followed him into the studio, glad that someone else cooked dinner tonight and needing rest after a long day of hasty preparation. Would Madara attack at night, when Akatsuki was most vulnerable? Probably not, since Pein had set up very strict watch and sleep shifts with this dangerous situation. Tonight Hidan and Kakuzu would be on watch along with Zetsu, all three rightfully on edge. The two immortals were the perfect night watch, with Zetsu's keen vision and chakra sensing abilities complementing the pair. There was no need to worry, at least not tonight.

She sat on the bed in the studio tensely, back against the headboard and knees curled to her chest as she sat up. The feeling of dread didn't leave her easily, not knowing if there might be another attack tonight. Few of them knew Madara's abilities well except for Pein and Zetsu, and fortunately each had reassured every other member that there wouldn't be anything happening any time soon. Madara would need to regroup and cut his losses. Even so, she couldn't help but clench her legs closer to her body as she thought about it. Soon, Sasori sat next to her quietly, looking over at her with the same look of tense hesitation. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head furiously. "No. I'm... I guess I'm scared too. What if he attacks while we're asleep? I know he wants to kill me first. But why? Why wouldn't he go after Pein-sama first? Isn't he a greater threat?"

Sasori put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Of course, but remember that Leader has several bodies, all now in different locations. He is harder to take out at once."

"But... what about Konan or Kakuzu? Why not them instead of me? How could I be the one he wanted to kill first?"

"I don't know." That's what he said out loud, anyway. Inside he knew quite well why Madara wanted to kill her first. She was progressing too quickly, becoming almost stronger than the rest of them. Her ability to act alongside her comrades instead of by herself was enough to change the tide of battle. She knew she wasn't strong enough on her own, and that was more than most of them could ever own up to. He pulled her a bit closer, trying to comfort her. "You need to sleep."

She cringed, curling up tighter. "How can I sleep when I know he's out there?"

He pulled her down so that her head lay on his chest. "I'm here. I'll watch over you while you sleep." From her angle, she could just barely see his smile. Reluctantly, she let herself relax somewhat, knowing that he would keep his promise and watch over her by night. Despite how reassuring it may have been, his calm hand stroking her hair slowly did little to keep her mind off the fear of knowing that any day now, she and her new family could cease to exist. This hand that felt so comforting in her hair could cease to move, her lungs could halt their breathing. Nothing could get her mind off the terrible concept even as she willed herself to sleep.

She woke suddenly, a burning sharingan blaring in the dark, her eyes not fast enough to avoid the three pronged glare...

* * *

A/N: Whew! Not a very comforting place I left off on, is it? Wasn't meant to be. I have gotten over a hundred reviews now, and I must say THANK YOU to all the people who have had the patience to review so far. I know you're all dreading the end of this fan fic just as Ino is dreading the final conflict. I'm making some VERY SPECIAL ART since you have all been super nice about reviewing. What is it? A very nice drawing of Ikuwasachi trampling the snakes from chapter O. Knew you'd like that. Please click the small purple button below that I am subliminally hinting at... One more thing: I actually CAN make a three headed crane AND paper griffin! I'll make sure to make a few and take a pic.


	21. Umbra

Whew. Chapter 21 already. Almost done yeah... which means time to pick a good word that starts with a U. Funny... I don't know many U words. Hopefully this chapter will place this fic over the 50,000 WORD COUNT MARK!

* * *

Part 21 - "Umbra" ("a phantom or shadowy apparition, as of someone or something not physically present; ghost; spectral image.")

* * *

As soon as the shimmer of red flicked on in the room, Sasori lashed the long tail-like extension from his midsection, striking where the man's head had been only seconds ago. Ino had been caught in the sharingan's trance, though the link had instantly severed just in time for her to escape unharmed. Tears ran down her face in the dark, fear causing her to shudder involuntarily. He held her head to his chest, just as afraid as she was. His arms held her tighter, eyes darting around the room trying to find out where he could have possibly gone - or come from, for that matter. The door was still locked. She started to sob, and he held her there to his chest, his chin resting on top of her head as he tried to think of something - anything - that could be done.

Zetsu's tall jaws suddenly phased through the floor, his white half looking at them with concern. "Are you two alright? I SENSED HIM IN HERE, BUT I CANNOT ANYMORE."

Sasori answered with as level a voice as he could muster. "We're alright, but I don't understand how he got in here in the first place..."

"HE IS CAPABLE OF A SPACE-TIME JUTSU. The barriers around the hideout should have sufficed. WELL, APPARENTLY THEY DON'T. We will have to think of something else."

He suddenly remembered the well-sealed interrogation room and medical ward. "How about the medical ward? If I remember right, even you can't phase through that."

"THIS IS TRUE. Yes, I agree. EVEN LEADER-SAMA CAN'T USE HIS CHAKRA IN THERE. Yes, you go ahead and rest in there, the rest of us will protect you." Both sides smiled at once, knowing how hard this was for everyone. He meant it when he said he would protect them. Sasori urged Ino to her shaky feet, guiding her to the medical ward with Zetsu guarding them closely all the way along. The tense silence was oppressive, though they made it to the ward without confrontation. Although Sakura was still in the ward for healing, it was in their best interest to protect her just as carefully as Ino.

Sasori may have protested about being in the same room as the kunoichi if he had been by himself, but he was doing this for Ino's sake. When Zetsu left the room and secured it, Sakura woke and looked in the corner where Sasori sat with Ino still a sobbing wreck in his arms. He looked up at her as if to challenge her stare, but he quickly looked back down, not caring what the other girl thought. Sakura's voice was starting to return slowly, and her voice was barely audible above Ino's choked sobs. "What happened?"

He shook his head, not looking up at her. "Not now. He attacked again."

Her green eyes looked up sympathetically and she moved to reassure Ino, but Sasori held up his hand quietly. She remained where she was, kneeling on the ground nearby until Ino's sobs quieted and she looked up at Sakura slowly. "S-Sakura? It was so frightening... it was like he phased through solid rock. How can anyone do that?"

Sasori was just as puzzled, but remembered what Zetsu had mentioned before. "Zetsu said that Madara can use a space-time jutsu, that's why we had to come into the sealed room. Maybe it has something to do with the mangekyo sharingan."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Itachi would know more about this."

"Yes, or Leader, maybe. Itachi is on sleep shift right now, we'll have to wait until morning. Zetsu will probably guard the door into this room... We can't do much until morning anyway. Might as well finish sleeping."

Ino clutched on to his cloak reflexively. "But what if..."

He quieted her with a finger to her lips. "Don't worry. Everyone will protect us now, including myself. Go back to sleep, alright?"

"I'll try." She curled up on his lap, resting her head on his chest as she tried to regain her composure. This was difficult, considering the implications of what the mangekyo sharingan could do against them. The possibilities were too much to bear, but she eventually relaxed in his grip, reassured by the arms that encircled her. So what if Sakura was here watching them? She could think whatever she wanted. All she would see is what this new family was to her. They protected each other and even comforted each other in their time of need. They may have been criminals, murderers and thieves, but they felt and worried just like any other human being. They feared, they needed, they wanted. None could truly be less than human.

* * *

As soon as Itachi was finished with his shift, he met up with Sasori, Ino and Sakura to discuss what he knew about Madara. Pein didn't dare leave his self imposed post unless Konan forced him to sleep, leaving Itachi alone to explain the entire situation. As an afterthought, Itachi even requested the presence of Shikamaru in the conversation. When several eyebrows had been raised at this, Itachi explained calmly that Shikamaru was a genius in his own right and could possibly add something productive to the conversation. After a lengthy explanation to the person in question, he had reluctantly agreed though he argued that discussing this at all was troublesome.

The five sat on chairs brought into the medical ward around a low table, none saying much as the staring contest ensued. Shikamaru glared at Sasori, Sakura glared at Itachi, Ino glared at Shikamaru, Itachi and Sasori kept their gazes averted or closed altogether. Being the most mature person in the group, Sasori started off the conversation. "Itachi, please tell us everything you know about Madara, and don't spare any small detail."

Itachi hesitated, but nodded. "He possesses the eternal mangekyo sharingan, which means that he does not suffer the same side effects as I do. However, all holders of the mangekyo, eternal or not, have a different way of altering time and space. I alter it through the use of Tsukiyomi, which transports a person's inner being to another plane in space and time. Hatake Kakashi has been reported to send other items to another dimension through his own mangekyo sharingan. From what I've seen, Madara can send himself, either select parts or his entire body, to another dimension. This is probably the most irritating thing he could do, since we won't be able to touch him. The only chance we would have would be to catch him off guard somehow before he has the chance to use it."

Shikamaru spoke next. "How? The sharingan alone has powers of intuition that would see anything we plan to do before we do it."

Ino glanced over at Itachi. "Maybe we can get in his blind spot to his left."

Itachi shook his head. "That's impossible. Under his mask... his left eye still works."

Sakura raised her hand so her weak voice would be noticed. "If that's true, then why doesn't he use it?"

He didn't shrug, that would be improper of his personality. "I'm not sure myself. He keeps it hidden for a reason, but I have never watched it in action. He surely used it on that day of the massacre, but we had split up so I don't know how he managed to kill the rest so easily. He has many strengths and few weaknesses. It's no small wonder that he lived so long."

Sasori frowned slightly. "How DID he manage to live so long?"

"Zetsu might be able to tell you more about the specifics, but his body is mostly artificial, much like yours is. He has metal pins and parts all over his body holding whatever is left of him together. Trust me, he would never let you get close enough to break any of it."

Shikamaru poised his hands in concentration and Ino motioned for everyone to be quiet while he thought. After a moment, he came back to attention. "This is troublesome. The only way we can kill him is if we somehow get around his space-time jutsu. One way to do this is to counteract him with another sharingan holder that can also use the mangekyo." He glanced up at Itachi who only tilted his head down with resignation.

"I can't. He is far more powerful than I am, and he would break my mangekyo's power long before I could make a dent in his."

"Hm... Then maybe it would be better if we thought of a way to attack from all sides and hope to win against him by simply outnumbering him. All other courses of action would require resources that we probably don't have. Right now, numbers may have to suffice."

Ino's eyes widened. "What if Madara goes after the remaining bijuu on his own? Does he still have the power to control them?"

Itachi glanced at her nervously. "It's a possibility that he still has enough power to use one of the weaker bijuu on his own, I wouldn't rule it out. He had control of the kyuubi back when it attacked Konoha."

"He was the one that let the kyuubi loose on the village?"

"Right. But Madara has had quite a bit of trouble with Hokages, and he was stopped by the Fourth putting the kyuubi inside Naruto. It was against village rules to speak of the incident, but by depriving you of this information, it made things more difficult if Madara ever decided to come back. He did, and the death of the Uchiha clan was the result. Even now, the ignorance of Konoha will be their undoing."

"Ridiculous how an evil organization like us has to be the one to save the world." She bit her lip in concentration. "We have to somehow find a way to prevent Madara from entering his other dimension. The problem is that even if he is encased entirely by something physical, he may be able to simply phase out."

Shikamaru glanced up at her. "Then the only way to capture him is to use something that isn't physical. If I can capture him with my shadow possession, he should be unable to escape."

Itachi disagreed. "That's a good theory, but you must remember who you are up against. Madara is older than any of us, and if anyone knows anything about every clan in Konoha, it would be him. He would know better than anyone how to avoid and counter your jutsu. He was one of the founders of Konoha, after all."

Sakura nodded. "Then we must use something non-physical that he has never seen before."

"That's the problem."

Sasori puzzled over this for a moment, but when it seemed that nobody could think of anything, he shrugged and spoke up. "Thank you, Itachi, but we better let you return to your post. We'll let you know if we think of anything."

Th Uchiha nodded solemnly and took his leave silently, Shikamaru following back to his own area since he had nothing to contribute. Silence filled the large medical ward to the very corners, and Ino's eyes scanned the table in thought. She picked up a small metal cup idly, looking over the smooth surface. She tossed it at the other wall, catching it with her lightning chakra threads as it began to fall, tossing it over and over and catching it to practice. With her other hand, she sent another thread of magnetism and shoved the fields together, crushing the cup and letting it fall on the ground. Sakura's eyes widened and she immediately pointed to the cup. "Ino, what did you just do?"

The blond shrugged and flicked it away with another thread. "I used two different magnetic fields to crush it. The lightning chakra I have has magnetic abilities, and I use it to help control my weapons sometimes."

"It can be used on other things, though? Anything metal?"

"Yeah." To demonstrate, she placed her slashed headband on the table and moved it around with a chakra thread. "As long as it's metal, I can move it, crush it, whatever."

The wheels inside Sakura's intelligent mind turned furiously. "And Itachi said that Madara's body is held up by dozens of metal parts... Do you think you could use your magnetism to hold onto his metal parts and keep him in the physical realm?"

Sasori's eyes widened and he nodded. "That might work."

Ino agreed. "It's risky and difficult, but he wouldn't even need to slip up for me to attract his metal. I would need to be only within three feet of him to attract the parts. As long as I can get that close, it would work."

"It's all we have to go on right now."

Her look turned determined and her fist clenched suddenly. "Yeah, I'll do it. I owe that bastard one for nearly killing my friend and myself." She looked over at Sasori slowly. "He could have killed you too. I'll never forgive that. I won't let him take you away from me."

He smiled, remembering something she said to him a long time ago now. "I'm not going anywhere just yet." He placed his hand on top of hers, reminding her of the night they had spent in the desert, their first time of physical contact. His smile was small but genuine, those fond memories coming back in a flood into his mind. What would he have done if Madara succeeded? No, it would never come to that. They would all make sure to take care of each other. They were family now, all of the Akatsuki.

* * *

A/N: Anyway, I had this little stroke of genius when I remembered the whole "Tobi has pins and metal parts on his body" bit that I knew about a long time ago. This was after the whole magnetism bit. Yeah. It was accidental. By the way, I made a three headed crane and griffin, they are on Deviant Art. You know what to do.


	22. Vigil

Are you almost ready for this fic to be done? Well, me too actually. This fic has been ridiculously long lasting. I think the next thing I will do is make the deleted scenes fic. As in scenes that were considered for this fic, but didn't make the cut. Interested? Great. Now read, enjoy, all that good stuff.

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Part 22 - "Vigil"

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Ino had finally been able to leave the medical ward in the daytime, though Deidara insisted coming with both her and Sasori since "She's like a sister to me, un." and didn't want to leave her exposed. Life in the base had almost returned to normal, and when they went to make lunch, Itachi was at the table reading the newspaper, his reading glasses perched on his elegant nose. She sat next to him, looking to see if there was anything interesting to read. In all her time of being here, she had only seen Itachi at the table for meals, and didn't even realize he needed glasses to read the paper.

Kisame came into the kitchen just in time to see Itachi take off his glasses and rub at his eyes tiredly. With a sigh, Kisame reprimanded him. "Itachi-san, you know you're not supposed to rub them."

Itachi glared at him. "I'm fine."

"You shouldn't overdo it. You need to be ready in case he shows up... Can't use the mangekyo if you can't even read the paper."

Ino glanced up at Itachi. "If you want, I can help heal them a little."

He only glared at her. "It's not a problem you can fix."

She frowned slightly. "Hey, I was the second best medical ninja in Konoha, maybe even better now with all the healing I've had to do around here. At least let me take a look."

He tried to maintain as much dignity as possible. "There's no need. It comes from using the mangekyo sharingan. Eventually I will go blind. Now let it go." His eyes flashed red in his irritation, but they instantly shut off and he pinched his eyes when it pained him.

That did it for her. "Itachi-san, there's nothing wrong with needing a little help." Before he could protest, she put her hands on his temples, eyes closed in concentration as she sought the strained nerves and blood vessels leading to the eyes. Her chakra worked to soothe the irritation and slowly release the strain. The eyes were one of the most delicate parts in the body, but she had cured patients from injuries that could have led to blindness before several times. She carefully let her chakra reverse the growing cataracts and even enhanced the blood flow in some of the larger vessels. As soon as that was complete, she grinned victoriously. "There! Don't overuse the sharingan, though. I managed to heal most of the damage, but you need to be careful with them and let me heal you whenever you use it."

He blinked several times and glanced down at his hand, noting that he could see every tiny crease in his palm, every ridge of his fingerprints. It had been a long time since he could see in such detail. Though it wasn't exactly a cure, it would prolong his eyesight if he allowed her to heal him. "Thank you... I'm surprised you know so much about how to heal a sharingan and where the blood flow is the weakest."

She nodded, understanding quite well what he meant. "Well, after I started doing medical training, I helped Kakashi with his sharingan whenever he overused it. Which was practically all the time..." Her thoughts drifted briefly to the few good memories of the past. "And now he has the mangekyo. He's truly a mystery to me sometimes."

Itachi nodded solemnly. "Yes, he obtained his sharingan through unusual means, and I'm sure that he obtained the mangekyo through even more unusual means."

Her eyes widened. "You know how he got it in the first place?"

"Of course. It was a big secret for a long time, but I happened to hear about it. He took the left eye from a boy named Uchiha Obito before the kid died. Some say this was done with Obito's consent, some say it was not. Nobody's really sure except Kakashi himself. Everyone else who had been with him that day is dead. However... knowing what kind of person he is, I'm sure he had Obito's consent. What's a real mystery is how he obtained the mangekyo."

"That's right... something about killing your closest friend?"

"Yes. At least, that's what I had to do, and that's what Madara confirmed for me."

She stared down at the table. "How could he do that... Are you sure there's no other way?"

He considered this carefully. "Well... if his old team mates were his closest friends, then having them already dead might have activated the mangekyo. Although, I wonder why he didn't earn it until just recently... It's just as much a mystery to me. Even I don't completely understand the details of the sharingan."

"So... he can alter space and time. If I manage to get hold of him with my lightning chakra, do you think he would be able to pull me with him to the other dimension?"

"I'm not sure. If he can exclusively send himself there, and nobody else, then he would be unable to. Although he was my teacher, I have only witnessed a select few attacks come from him, and I don't know most of what he is capable of. Zetsu might know a little more than I do about his attacks."

She stared pensively at the table, contemplating. "It's so strange how he managed to fool everyone so well."

Itachi nodded once. "He's old and experienced, I'm not surprised." He rose abruptly to leave. "Thank you for your help." His eyes softened just the tiniest bit, his gratitude only barely visible as he left with Kisame. Itachi had been one of the skeptical people when she had been brought into the organization, but his intuition had proved correct. She would be useful when it came down to correct what Madara had done to them all.

* * *

Ino and Konan had decided to take a break by the lake near the base, each having trained all day long and needing a rest that evening. Konan had finally convinced Pein to sleep, his nearest body watched closely by Zetsu. As they sat beside the lake, Ino couldn't help but notice that Konan's chakra presence felt a little different. Her usual blue pulsing of chakra had grown slightly erratic, and being the medic nin that she was, Ino was curious.

"Konan, are you feeling alright?"

The blue haired kunoichi glanced up at Ino curiously. "I'm just fine, why?"

"Your chakra is flaring uncontrollably." She edged closer and placed her hand on Konan's forehead. "Hm... you don't have a fever, but you look paler than usual."

"Oh..." She thought for a moment. "No, it's fine, breakfast really disagreed with me this morning and I was sick earlier. It's alright though, I feel better now."

"Has this been happening often?" She peered at Konan's eyes closely, looking for signs of irritation caused by nausea.

"It's those darn eggs. Every single morning, they just make me sick. They never used to, but just thinking about them is enough to make me sick in the mornings."

Her slim blond eyebrow raised at this. Every morning? "Do you mind if I check your chakra a little closer?" At Konan's shrug, she summoned her own chakra to her hand and pulsed it through Konan's body, looking for the source of the involuntary flaring. If she had food poisoning, then the flares would be dull and all through the body. But as soon as she reached the woman's abdomen, a sudden spike in chakra confirmed the second suspicion that she had. It was another chakra presence, a new one. "Oh no..."

Konan's blue eyes widened. "W-what is it? Am I really sick?"

The blond shook her head and stared back up at her. "No, but... there's another chakra presence inside you. That... that means you're pregnant."

Her eyes widened even further, if that was even possible. "WHAT? But... but that's..." Her hand went reflexively to her abdomen. "How come I didn't think of that... Oh no, Ino... What will I do?" She shook her head briskly, trying to not think of the problems that would arise from this. "How will I tell him?"

She put her hand on Konan's shoulder for support. "I don't know, but you should tell him after he's done sleeping. But still, what will we do? Do you think you can still fight? It didn't seem like you were very far along yet."

"I have to fight. I want to protect my home as much as anyone else. Don't worry, I won't overdo it. I know better than to test my limits with something so fragile inside me."

"Alright." She did one final scan to make sure everything else was normal. "You should be fine, but the hard part will be telling him about it. Just be honest. I'm sure he'll understand."

"I hope so." Her eyes looked worried, her concern understandable. She would find a way to tell him... somehow.

* * *

Pein finally woke early having slept the bare eight hours he had allowed himself. It was five in the morning and he took a quick snack with him on the roof while he readied himself for his watch. He didn't even want to eat, he was so worried. If Madara made the mistake of stepping inside his country again, it would be the end of him. The crystals that Itachi had brought back would guarantee that Madara wouldn't be able to escape. His hand clenched an orange crystal tightly, his cold gray eyes shining in the pale pre-dawn. With a slight shiver, he sat down at the edge of the balcony, scanning the horizon.

Konan appeared quietly behind him, approaching softly as she sat beside him. She watched the skyline with him, hesitating about what she had to tell him. His eyes looked her over quickly, noticing as well that her chakra was out of control. He put his hand on her shoulder with concern. "Are you alright?"

She avoided his glance, but then looked up at him when she realized that she would rather look him in the eye when she told him. Her hand reached for his and placed it over her abdomen cautiously. "Do you feel it?"

His eyes widened when he sensed the second chakra presence. "What... what is that?"

A smile slowly crept onto her face. "It's ours."

His mouth opened slightly in awe. "Ours?" He let his own small smile settle on his face, both confused and happy about this new information. But then the smile faded when he reminded himself that they were still in the middle of a battle. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close until she settled her head on his shoulder. "I don't know what will happen during the final battle, but I will protect you, Konan. You know I will."

She nodded slowly, answering quietly. "I know you will, Pein."

* * *

Ino woke just in time to get to the kitchen before Konan did, brewing a tea that would hopefully combat the terrible morning sickness. As soon as Konan entered the kitchen, looking extremely pale, Ino handed over the tea. Deidara looked up from his spot at the table curiously but went back to eating and staring at the paper. Konan took the tea gratefully and sipped it with shaky hands. "Thank you, Ino."

She nodded and also handed over some oatmeal. "Here, eat a little of this too once the nausea dies down. Until the morning sickness goes away completely, don't eat anything until you've had the tea." Deidara suddenly made a spluttering noise as he nearly choked on his cereal, his eye nearly popping out. He swallowed hard before shaking his head. Why was it that he was always the first to witness every weird thing that went on around here?

Konan took the bowl and sat at the table, honestly looking like a truck had run over her. "You won't have to tell me that twice. I don't want to eat anything at all."

"I know, but you need to get something down." She took her own bowl and sat beside Konan and across from Deidara.

He looked from one to the other, not sure what to say. "Will you be alright, Konan-sama? Un."

The blue haired kunoichi nodded weakly. "It's alright, it will pass eventually."

Ino agreed. "Yeah, it should only last a few more days if it's been going on for a while now. Then your hormones should balance out a little better."

Deidara couldn't help but be somewhat amazed. "Konan-sama is pregnant, un?"

Konan nodded slowly. "Yes, and it feels awful." She rested her forehead on the table, trying to rid herself of her sick headache. "I suppose I'm happy too, though."

Ino rubbed her back sympathetically. "Don't worry, at least you have a good medic." She smiled, trying to reassure her, if only a little.

"I know. I'll just have to wait it out." Kisame suddenly burst through the door, out of breath and eyes wide.

"Come quick! Madara has come inside the boundaries of Amekagure and Leader-sama is using a barrier to trap him! We have to go while we have the chance."

The three at the table jumped to attention, though Konan a bit more slowly, and followed Kisame to the rooftop where Pein's hands were stretched to the sky, and orange beam emitting from the crystal he held in his hands. In five other corners of distant Amekagure, five more different colored beams shot into the sky, lighting the borders of the country. Pein chanced a glance behind him, nodding to them as a whole.

"It's time. He has slipped up and come here on his own, and now we're ready for him."

* * *

A/N: What can I say, my brain has been full of ideas. Not disappointed, I hope! Ooh I am REALLY looking forward to this weekend. Anime Detour ahoy! Hope you all won't miss me too bad while I'm gone!


	23. Warfare

Time for chapter W. I wanted to call it "Waffle" but that really has nothing to do with anything. Rest assured knowing that I am still thinking "Waffle" in my mind...

I've had some very interesting reactions to Konan's pregnancy. One being someone commenting on how amusing it would be to have Ino do the same thing. No, that will not happen. She's only 15, people, and Sasori is a puppet. No no no no nononono. No.

xXx

Part 23 - "Warfare"

xXx

The pillars of light curved across the sky, meeting up with the orange beam that struck the center, Pein's arms tense with concentration. Clouds roiled overhead as his efforts increased, the sudden volatility darkening the sky. His steely eyes flicked back at Konan apprehensively. "Konan, go now before the barrier closes."

She stood her ground defiantly. "I'm fighting too. This is our home, I won't abandon it."

He stared for a moment before spreading his fingers, the beams widening as the barrier stretched to meet in the center. Once the barrier had closed, he dropped to his knees, visibly sweating from the effort. He wiped his brow quickly before glancing back up at her. "Yes, this is... our home. I won't ask you to abandon it again."

She held out her hand to help him stand up, glancing back into the forest as a glimmer of red flashed across the trees. "He's here."

Small explosions lit up the floor of the forest suddenly, a blur of white and black whizzing down to follow the motion quickly, his hands forming seals furiously. "KATSU!" Another string of explosions hit the ground, Deidara's eyes wide with anger. "I can't use that... un." He considered what clay he had in his pouch. C1, C2, C3... no, can't use C3 so near the compound. He couldn't even touch the idiot as long as he can escape into his other dimension. All he could do was keep an eye on him from his vantage point on top of his clay bird.

Ino and Sasori followed after Deidara, Ino summoning her fastest summon horse. They leaped onto its back hastily, the creature using chakra in its hooves to run down the tall cliff. Her hands stretched wide as she summoned two elemental horses for each hand, the four elements dashing down the cliff with her. The fire horse was the quickest, dashing in front of the barely visible Madara, startling him and routing him away from the forest and near the open ground. The earth horse met him there, rocky hooves pounding the ground furiously and causing the ground to quake.

By now, Hidan and Kakuzu had appeared beside her on the cliff, running down to meet Madara with a quick nod to her. They jumped into the circle that Ino had routed Madara into with her elemental horses, followed soon after by Itachi and Kisame. Deidara still flew overhead, glaring down at Madara, watching in case the man made a long range escape. Above on the terrace, Konan stood next to Pein, each watching as the battle unfolded. Pein's eyes narrowed with suppressed anger, the sky breaking into a light rain as his anger influenced the skies.

Madara had certainly changed since he had left. He no longer wore that ridiculous orange mask, and his right eye shone brightly in the darkness. His left eye was closed, but they all knew to be cautious just in case, especially Deidara. If Deidara could train his left eye to combat the mangekyo sharingan, who knew what an expert like Madara could do. He had taken the effort to wear long, heavy armor on his body, the red tinted steel glinting just as menacingly as his lone sharingan. Ino smirked to herself at the sight, knowing that the heavy armor would have been a great protection, if only he didn't have her to deal with.

He stretched his shaggy haired head arrogantly, taking a relaxed pose. "What do you expect to do with me? You know you can't capture me." His body flashed in an instant, changing dimensions to land right in front of Ino. "And you, little girl... You will be the first to die."

She smirked up at him, not in the least afraid. With a flick of her fingers, she released the summoned elemental horses and stood tall to meet his gaze. "Yet again, you underestimate me." Her hands flicked out swiftly, lightning imbued chakra strings flying around in a flurry of light. Each string stuck to a piece of his armor, one latched onto his wristplate. The tips of her fingers twitched slightly, jerking his armor out until it nearly broke. Behind her, Sasori began unsealing the scrolls that held his massive army of puppets while Deidara scanned Madara from above with his scouter. The explosion artist yelled down to her quickly.

"Ino, he's not a clone! Hold him, un!"

She snaked her threads around the armor tighter, not letting up. Her calm gaze landed just under Madara's sharingan, coming as close to meeting the deadly gaze as she dared. "So I can't capture you? We'll see." With another flick, his armor strained at the hinges, pieces ripping from their solid bonds easily, his eyes widening with disbelief. How did this girl get a power like that? He slipped out of his armor quickly, though one chakra string held fast to his wrist. With a sly smirk, he grinned at her menacingly.

"Is that so? Maybe I will take you with me this time." In a flash, she was transported to Madara's alternate universe, the ice cold darkness enveloping her. A sudden red light flashed overhead, revealing dead trees in a barren waste, the chill in the air unceasing. The stark world felt dreadful and sickening. She shivered involuntarily, her eyes widening in the depths of the crimson lit darkness. Her teeth clenched along with her fists, her entire body rebelling against her better judgement. Something about this place invoked fear in even the most courageous ninja. She had to get out. But how?

"It's no use." Madara's cold, shallow voice sounded from in front of her, his shadowy form sneering down at her helpless body. "Linking your chakra to mine through the use of your chakra strings was a terrible mistake, and one you will not live to regret. How shall I torment you?" In an instant, he held a sword out in front of him, stabbing her shoulder until she grunted in pain. "Perhaps I will do this." He twisted the blade suddenly, the pain nearly overbearing. It took all her willpower to stay silent. His confident grin faded. "No? Fine, we'll play it that way. I will see just how much it takes to make you scream."

xXx

"Leader-sama..." Itachi appeared next to Pein hastily, nodding. "He's taken her to the other dimension."

Pein closed his eyes in concentration, clutching his orange gem carefully. "Just as I expected. Very well. Now we will do as I planned." He raised his arm to the sky as the other gems released their barrier, the gems flying back into his hand. "Let's hurry. Neither of us can be sure how long she has."

"As you wish." He opened his eyes, the mangekyo sharingan blaring.

xXx

"You are such a strange girl. All this stabbing, and yet not a sound." Madara stared blankly down at Ino's shuddering form, wounds lacing her entire body but her mouth just as silent as before. "Pain means nothing to you, then? No, not physical pain. Perhaps I shall try something a little different..." The scene around them shifted in a blur, changing to a peaceful outdoor scene, the grass green and lively, a soft wind blowing. "The pain of the body, the pain of the mind... it is all so... troublesome." With a grin he phased away, letting her see scenes from her past. The field where she made friends with Sakura. The day she teamed up with Shikamaru and Choji under Asuma. Every fond memory she had, then the scene shifted to one of blood, death and deprivation.

She whimpered softly, but held fast. No, she would not cry! The others were depending on her. She had to break this jutsu! Somehow... but how? He stopped in front of her, seeing the anguish in her face at the sight of such loss and death, but even now she didn't cry out. "No? Interesting girl. How about this? I could allow your body to be gone for only an instant here in my world, but I could make a hundred years pass in the world you left. How would it feel to come back a hundred years later, I wonder. Maybe I could keep you here for years on end, letting you become old and decrepit while only moments pass for them. What would your Sasori think of you then? You are still as human as ever, and your beauty fades just like everything else in the world. I wonder how you would react to that."

Her eyes widened with realization. Now it all made sense. Even in her thought process, the effects of the Tsukiyomi world clouded her mind, warping her thoughts until she could think no more, lest she go insane. What would she do? She crouched on the unstable ground, her eyes threatening to let the tears go, her arms trembling from the effort. A calm, steady voice suddenly resounded behind her. "So that is how you managed to live so long." She stifled a gasp and slowly looked back to see Pein and Itachi in this other world, wondering how they could have come here. Could it be that Itachi's Tsukiyomi world and Madara's dimension were connected, if not the same? Maybe all Uchiha had the power to warp this realm?

Madara kept his voice just as stable. "The false leader comes to take his charge, hm?" His glowing red eye drifted to Itachi calmly. "And you used your mangekyo to allow him into this place... You should know better by now. Even in this world, I am master. Even you cannot face me here."

Pein's Rin'negan swirled menacingly. "Not alone, we wouldn't." His hand unclasped, revealing the handful of glowing crystals that had erected the barrier earlier. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned power into the gems, erecting a much smaller barrier around Madara himself. Pein eased Ino to her feet, talking to her softly. "Are you alright?"

Madara tried phasing out of the barrier, but to no avail. "What the hell is this thing?" He stretched his hands out, trying to will the Tsukiyomi world to change, but the space around him barely flickered.

Itachi grinned slightly. "It seems it is you who is powerless this time."

Pein frowned up at him. "I can't hold him long."

Ino shot out her lightning chakra strings, noticing that Itachi's influence on the realm was taking over, making it easier for her to breathe and move. She held fast to each part of Madara's metal body parts, knowing that he would be far too weak to phase here again once they brought him back to the outside world. "Alright, I'm ready." She watched as Pein glanced into Itachi's mangekyo, his form sent back instantly. Her own gaze met his, and in an instant everyone was back on the field. Above, a large paper griffin stood ready, its beak poised to strike. Madara crouched on the ground, panting from the effort he had used to trap both himself and Ino in the other dimension.

That was when she remembered. Yes, it all made sense now. "Now I understand. You used your ability to transport to the Tsukiyomi realm in order to prolong your lifespan. After failing to kill the first hokage, you captured the kyuubi and retreated to your realm, manipulating space and time so that only seconds passed in the Tsukiyomi world, but years passed in this one. That's why you still appear so young."

Madara's sharingan eye widened slightly with amusement, his haughty stance remaining despite his weakness. "So you figured it out... And this barrier..."

Itachi glared down at him. "One of your few weaknesses... sensei."

Ino glanced up at Itachi and then back to Pein. "What will we do with Madara now?" Pein only grinned down at her, his expression otherwise unreadable.

xXx

A/N: This was a short chapter and... I don't care lol. There was only ONE Ino at the convention, but I hugged her anyway. I dressed as Sasori until about lunch time on day one, and I hugged her while still in Sasori mode. That was sweet. Then I changed to Pein and managed to find a Konan to hang out with all weekend. Extra sweet, plus I was the only Pein at the convention. And thus the only Pein/Konan pairing hehe... sweet. Deviant art. You know where to click.


	24. Xanadu

I've been waiting for chapter X for some time! Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Part 24 - "Xanadu"

* * *

Madara didn't let them contemplate their actions long. Pein's barrier dispelled quickly, the enchantment requiring an insane amount of chakra to uphold. Even so, he reasoned that the barrier was only meant to contain him until he had exhausted himself to the point of no longer being able to warp. Despite not being able to escape into his realm, he was still a formidable shinobi, and he had rendered Ino useless and Pein dangerously low on chakra. Konan stayed aloft on her paper griffin, avoiding close combat which seemed unlike her. She was being overly cautious. Itachi knew perfectly well what he was capable of, making him the only useful shinobi on the field who could say so. Hidan and Kakuzu were clueless, and Kisame only knew the basics of the sharingan's power.

Perfect.

With a flurry of seals, he summoned a small horde of shadow clones to combat the greater numbers surrounding him. Each clone met with one Akatsuki member, though Sasori grabbed Ino and lifted her out of harms way as Konan's griffin blocked the attack with its wing. He left her in the care of Konan as he spread his hands wide, dropping to the ground and his army of puppets following after. Two shadow clones disappeared after encountering the puppets, leaving Sasori to tackle the one remaining on his own. Above on the paper griffin, Konan blocked blow after blow with her paper techniques, her own paper wings stiffening to form a shield around Ino. The medic nin had passed out from the strain on her body and mind, and Konan felt protective of this girl that had become something like a sister.

Pein suddenly appeared in front of Konan, blocking a fire jutsu shot towards her with his raised hand, looking back at her to confirm that she was unharmed. His arm was slightly burned but his impassive gaze remained unchanged except for his concern. Fire was powerful against her paper, and he had blocked just in time. With a slight smile, he nodded back at her. "I will guard you, Konan."

She quickly spun around, blocking several kunai aimed at him with a flurry of paper cranes, nodding at him as well. "And I you."

Below, Hidan and Kakuzu fought the bulk of the shadow clones while Itachi efficiently took out his one at a time. Kisame grinned and hefted Samehada against the oncoming mob. He blocked for Itachi as much as the Uchiha blocked for him, the two working with effortless teamwork just as Hidan and Kakuzu had managed to do. Madara worked alone, the one disadvantage. Above, Deidara flew overhead, scanning the horizon to see if any clones escaped the borders, sending clay birds off into the distance to combat the few that got past.

Madara became more creative as more and more of his shadow clone army disappeared, using advanced ninjutsu against the teams. His grand fireball suddenly clashed with Itachi's in the middle of battle, causing the other teams in the area to halt their fighting to watch in awe as the entire area glowed bright red. Seconds seemed like hours as the two clashed, their chakra facing off as they competed to hold out. Itachi's fireball suddenly gained ground and those who were close enough saw that Kisame had put his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, lending his immense supply to aid his partner.

Not too far away, Kakuzu lashed out with his threads, yanking Hidan out of the way as a set of exploding tags made for him, Hidan recovering quickly and shooting his scythe out at the clone. He pulled the long spike from his scythe to spin and attack one more clone that was about to counter one of Kakuzu's elemental jutsu, the water attack succeeding in putting out a grand fireball. Deidara cleared the straggling shadow clones from the border, jumping from his bird to aid Sasori. The puppet master motioned to the forest silently, noting that Zetsu was still hidden and ready. Deidara stabbed a shadow clone while Sasori was distracted, grinning back at him widely.

Ino slowly regained consciousness, waking to see Pein and Konan standing over her protectively. She glanced over the edge of the paper griffin, noticing that everyone else and their respective partners were fighting with an unusual efficiency. Hidan and Kakuzu were a formidable duo, using their immortality to block attacks for other members that would normally be fatal. Kisame used his brute strength to block the strongest physical attacks while Itachi's sharingan spun furiously, one of the few who could dare to look Madara in the eye.

Something about the way they now worked so easily together surprised her, but then again, their teamwork had become so much more important when Madara had rebelled. All they had left in life was each other. She looked up at Pein and Konan, watching their intense battle gazes flicking from one clone to the next as they slashed and stabbed. They needed her. With unsteady legs, she edged out from between them and landed next to Kakuzu, blocking an attack with her lightning shield.

Kakuzu grinned down at her warmly. "Good work."

She shook her head hastily. "It's no use, we need to get him down to his real body. Once that happens, I need you to use the four corners jutsu."

His eyebrow raised slightly but he didn't question her. "I will do that."

With a net of lightning chakra strings, she latched on to some of the kunai bombarding the group and flung them back to their respective targets, puffs of smoke billowing as clones were taken out. She grimaced visibly, looking around the field to see how many were left. About fourteen more on the ground that she could see, and five fighting Pein and Konan. They would be fine. She yelled out to Deidara. "Hey, Deidara! Is this all?"

He quickly hopped back onto his bird, scanning every corner of the battlefield. "Yeah, this is all!" With a flick of his hand, he sent one final bird out to scout just in case.

She dashed next to Kisame, watching his back as she whispered low so only he could hear. "Follow me if you can. Both of you. I'll be doing something drastic once he gets down to his real body." She registered his nod before rushing to tell Sasori and Kakuzu the same thing, glancing over to see Zetsu finally exposed and fighting even more clones. "Damn, there's so many of them!"

Deidara cursed and yelled down at her. "There's more, he can use his shadow clones to make more clones! You need to hurry, un!"

She lashed out with her chakra strings, using the magnetism to crush some of the clones that came her way. What would they do? All she could do was hold out until Madara ran out of chakra.

* * *

Tsunade reached for her cup of sake and stopped just as the glass cracked slightly. Her desk trembled underneath her, the bottle clinking as an earthquake shuddered. She glanced up at her assistant Shizune warily, noting the worried expression on her face. Earthquakes rarely happened in Konoha, and the few that did were barely perceptible. The desk shook a bit more violently as a second tremor ran through the ground. What was going on?

She glanced down at the latest report she had received. Haruno Sakura, captured by Akatsuki along with Nara Shikamaru. Her fingers clasped with concentration. Surely this has nothing to do with the earthquakes... right?

* * *

He had so much chakra! Her fellow members were wearing down, the long hours of battle becoming more and more apparent to her trained eye. Madara was down to three shadow clones, though the few that remained were getting more serious about the situation and using higher ranked techniques. It took two or three members per clone just to dodge his attacks and make something resembling a counter. His dodging abilities were nothing to sneeze at, being the escape artist that he was.

Ino was suddenly pinned down by one of the shadow clones, his kunai poised to strike when his form was punched away from the side, the chakra enhanced blow glowing over her. She looked up with disbelief to see Sakura standing above her protectively, readying another chakra punch just in case as Madara reformed more clones. "You alright, Pig?" Sakura grinned down victoriously.

With hesitation, Ino stood carefully and grinned at Sakura. "How did you get out?"

She downed another shadow clone with a heel drop before answering. "Zetsu let me out. I guess he figured that things couldn't get much worse. He let Shikamaru out too, but he ran away from here."

That didn't surprise her, but Sakura's presence did. "But... why are you still here?"

She smiled warmly and held out her hand to help Ino up. "I guess... I really believe you when you say that you want to fix what went wrong. Besides..." With a grin, she shoved Ino's shoulder in a friendly way. "How could I pass up such a good fight?"

Ino no longer felt resentful towards Sakura, knowing that such emotions were useless especially in times like this. If anything, she was grateful for the help. With a nod, she turned her back to Sakura, blocking yet another clone with her chakra strings, crushing the heavy plating. "Right. Let's show them what we can do!" Ino focused on close range tactics, sending shock waves of lightning in all directions, wondering how long the clones could last. Panting heavily, she sliced the last clone in front of her and heard a voice call out from the field.

"Ino! Over here, un!" Deidara called out from aboard his bird, pointing to the final exhausted clone in front of Kakuzu. She pulled Sakura along with her as she rushed to Kakuzu's side, waving up at Pein and Konan to stay back. The tall paper griffin flew back towards the base, leaving the clearing open. Hidan stayed to one side of Kakuzu while Ino and Sakura took the other, leaving Itachi and Kisame to squeeze in wherever they could. Zetsu retreated into the ground, not wanting to be around for whatever her grand technique might be.

"Now, Kakuzu!" Ino prepared her four elemental horse summon as he simultaneously gathered chakra to perform the four corners attack. This would be both of their final attacks. She had just enough chakra to perform this summon safely, and she knew he was in the same state. Everyone else was physically exhausted. It had to work. If it didn't... No, she couldn't think that way.

"Four Corners, Apocalyptic surge!" Kakuzu's arm strained as four colors of chakra swirled around the field. Ino's elemental horses followed each surge of chakra, each horse following the elements they best complimented. Water followed earth, wind followed fire, enhancing the elemental attacks bursting forth at an astounding speed.

A bright light.

No sound.

* * *

Pein crouched on the ground next to her, panting heavily and muscles quivering. Her eyes opened slowly to see that he had knocked away Madara but the Uchiha had recovered and stood before them warily. Pein's chakra was too low to perform any ninjutsu, Kakuzu was just as drained, Hidan was visibly strained beyond his physical limits and even Kisame was beginning to show the strain of battle. Konan and Itachi had suffered the least, still having half their chakra. It wasn't enough. They both had low physical strength, relying on ninjutsu and skill to counter their enemies. The balance was thrown off.

Madara was just as strained as the rest of them, but he managed to step closer to Pein, mocking him openly. "So... Amekagure's false god... you look so pathetic. Where is your divine judgement now? What kind of god can't even hold up against me?"

Hidan scowled and brandished his scythe menacingly. "Where the fuck do you get off talking about judgement? I will cleanse your soul, bastard." He lunged suddenly at Madara, blocking and feinting but getting nowhere. The Uchiha still had too much energy!

Madara chuckled down at the immortal. "Oh really? A servant of Jashin... where is your god now? Why doesn't he help his most favored servant? Tell me... has he forgotten you? Are you too weak for him to save?"

"You better watch your fucking tongue... Jashin will condemn you in hell!"

"I think not." He poised in a ready stance, glaring at each person in turn. "It will be amusing to see if you can die. I will find a way, I'm sure." His left eyelid fluttered suddenly, revealing the covered sharingan in a burst of red. "I have had enough of you and your false deities. Behold..." Black fire lit in his hands, snaking around him. "The only true judgement is the one you gain from those better than you." The air around him tensed, growing thick and heavy as he prepared something larger than any of them had ever expected him capable of. In the past, he had been weakened by his previous battles, but life in Akatsuki had strengthened him back to his former glory. There was no chance...

The air stopped, clearing as a pulsation through the earth made him glance down in confusion. What was that? This wasn't part of the jutsu. His hands shook as he tried again to release his technique, but something drained all of his chakra in an instant. What the hell was happening?

* * *

A/N: Hehe... wouldn't YOU like to know! Well you'll just have to wait until next time! Cliffhangers are fun.


	25. Youth

Hope you have all recovered from the cliff hanger. Hehe... I'm so cruel!

* * *

Part 25 - "Youth"

* * *

Madara's eyes widened in shock. Why was all his chakra being drained away? He tried once more to progress his jutsu, but the harder he tried, the faster his chakra drained, leaving nothing to show for his efforts. The sky darkened all around him, the clouds roiling and thunder rumbling above. Ino glanced at Pein curiously but he shook his head. This storm wasn't his doing. Hidan stood suddenly, his eyes focused on the growing rift in the clouds, his eyes wide.

Ino risked a slight whisper. "Hidan... what's the matter?"

His mouth stretched into his usual confident grin. "That bastard is gonna get what's coming to him, little fuck." He watched with an even wider smile as the clouds circled slowly, lightning crackling above and wind picking up all around them. Madara's glance grew more and more worried, his chakra draining more by the second. In a last ditch, he canceled his jutsu, withdrawing the energy and crouching low to the ground, completely confused by the sufdden shift in the sky. Pein didn't have enough chakra for this, and neither did Kakuzu or Ino. They were the only ones who could do this.

The ground pulsed beneath them, shuddering as it cracked slightly. Madara looked genuinely worried. Ino crouched low to the ground, ready to keep stable in case of an earthquake. She looked sidelong at Sasori. "Who could be doing this?"

He only shook his head, just as startled as the rest of them. Hidan laughed loudly, raising his hand up to the sky as he glared at Madara. "See, shit-head? I told you to watch your tongue." Hidan seemed to be the only one on the field who had a clue what was going on, and as a sudden shaft of light shot from the clouds, his smile lit up in the glow. "Yo, Ino, can you hold that bastard down?"

She stared up at him with slight confusion before nodding. "Right." Her lightning chakra strings were barely visible with her chakra so terribly drained, but she had just enough to immobilize Madara. "But what's going on?"

He tilted his head arrogantly and pointed to the sky. "All you heathens are gonna get to watch what Jashin-sama does to the unworthy!" Before she could ask him to clarify, a sudden shifting of the wind caused the vegetation to swirl in the opposite direction, the clouds extending to the ground in almost a funnel, reaching down to the earth where Madara lay trapped. Pein stood slowly, his mind spinning from the implications caused by this. Jashin was obviously real, why else would Hidan live through every decapitation? And yet the deity himself seemed so distant and unreal, he never really took stock in Hidan's words.

Sakura had passed out next to Ino before, but had revived in time to hear about the wrath of Jashin. How could this be real? How could this happen? Was it a miracle? Kakuzu chuckled under his breath as he watched his partner. So Jashin really did care about his servant. Madara's eyes widened with disbelief as a bolt of lightning struck just next to him, startling him out of his thoughts. The holy man really did have a god watching him...

A pale shadowy form appeared from the clouds, an ethereal finger stretched out before him as he drew close to Madara. With merely a touch, Madara's entire body burst into flame, his cries too loud for any of them to bear. Hidan had drawn a ritual marking on the ground just before, kneeling to pray as the deity took Madara's soul to Hell. The body was engulfed in only moments by an unreal glowing fire, the entirety of his body disappearing seconds after the invocation. He disappeared into the flames quickly, but they all knew that much worse was waiting for him on the other side.

The deity Jashin approached Hidan slowly, looking down on his servant kindly. "That is all for today, Hidan. Do not complete your ritual."

Hidan bowed his head, never looking up into his eyes. "No sweat, Jashin-sama."

He placed his hand on Hidan's head. "You have disappointed me. However..." His eyes glanced to the place where Madara had been. "He was unworthy, and did not deserve purification. All is forgiven." He turned to leave, but as if on a whim, his eyes flicked over at Pein casually. With hesitation, his figure turned and he glanced at Sasori and Ino. That girl had held on to Madara even in her weakened state... She had figured out the man's weakness laying in his armor, then figured out how he had managed to live so long. It seemed that her intelligence surpassed most of the intellects of the rest of the group. "You there!"

Ino didn't look up but she gulped hastily. "Y-yes...?"

A low chuckle resounded from his ethereal form, a strange celestial mist covering the ground before him. "Tell me... what would you ask of me?"

Her eyes finally met his vacant ones, not sure if she had heard right. "What?"

"There is something you need that only I can give... am I correct? Wish it, and it shall be done as a reward for your deeds."

"Why me? Surely there is someone worth more to you..." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Hidan's deity was offering her a free request?

He sighed impatiently. "Don't make me wait, child. Make your request now or I will be done with you."

She nodded hastily, trying to think of what he had figured out about her internal desires. What did she need more than anything else that only he could give? Well, she didn't dare make him wait. He was even more impatient than Sasori! Her eyes flicked to the puppet master, softening as she thought about him. His impatience was legendary, but now he waited patiently for her to speak. That was when she made up her mind. "Jashin-sama... please help Sasori."

Jashin's eyes widened with surprise. He had expected her to ask for immortality like so many other mortals had. Perhaps he would have granted it to her after her performance, in exchange for service to him. Just like Hidan had done. And yet she had asked for something completely selfless and just. He had to admit, she was one surprising ninja. "Very well. Sasori..." He turned to the redhead suddenly. "Your body is a blight upon this earth, and if you agree, I shall return you to your original form. She has made her wish, and I suggest you hurry and make your desires known."

Sasori had just been floored by Ino's selfless request, and here he was, floored again by what Jashin was offering. Regain his human form? He would die, just like all humans did once their bodies withered. But he could remember how to live, how to love, how to feel... he could touch others and feel the heat of their skin. What was everlasting life if he could not even enjoy it? It was... better to be a fleeting and yet beautiful masterpiece. For once he understood Deidara's perspective. "I will... accept the offer." He watched Ino's eyes widen from the corner of his eyes before Jashin spoke again.

"Very well." His hand stretched out to touch Sasori's brow as light filled the clearing, Jashin's astral aura overwhelming the entire party into unconsciousness...

* * *

"Hokage-sama!" Shikamaru nearly broke down her door (again) as he rushed into her office, panting heavily as his wide eyes struggled to look up at her.

She stood suddenly, surprised to see him alive and in fairly healthy condition. "How... Where is Sakura?"

He paused just long enough to catch his breath. "They're all in Amekagure, fighting Uchiha Madara, last I saw. I was released not long after the battle started, but she stayed behind to help. I came back as fast as I could."

She glanced up at the clock in her office. Only mid-afternoon. If the fight had started that morning, he really HAD come here at top speed! And then his statement hit her. "Uchiha Madara...? But he was killed by the first, how can that be?" She vaguely remembered her grandfather's closest friend and ally back in the old days, the raven haired man with the red metal armor, his smile kind and considerate. And then he had turned on the village, then supposedly killed... How could he still be alive?

"I don't know either, but he had the sharingan, and he was wearing a long set of metal armor, tinted red. We have to go help Sakura! Akatsuki is fighting him right now, he turned out to be their actual leader and they want to correct what he has done to the organization. I don't know what to believe anymore, but... Ino said something about making the world right again. I really think they meant it."

She sat back down noisily, trying to absorb all this information. Red tinted armor and the sharingan... that sounded like Madara. So apparently he had lived. This curiosity would have to wait until after the battle. If he truly was back, he was not only a threat to Akatsuki but a threat to Konoha. Helping the Akatsuki was out of the question, even if they had seen the error of their ways. What if they intended to actually help the world? They were still the Akatsuki for the moment, and nothing would change that. "Shikamaru... you know as well as I do that we can't help Akatsuki. Sakura is there helping of her own accord, and I hate to say it, but we need to leave things the way they are."

His eyes widened. "But she could be hurt, or worse... From what little of the battle I saw, Madara was a formidable shinobi. Even with all the other Akatsuki there, Sakura could get killed! And now you're saying... we can't do anything?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips, her eyes fixated on the table. "Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. All we can do is hope that they defeat Madara."

* * *

Sasori stirred slightly, voices all around him muttering with a worried tone. The first thing he noticed was the pain. It was all through his... body? Wait... His eyes opened slowly, glancing up at the ceiling of the medical ward as two female voices called for medical equipment. A low male voice chimed in from time to time, answering their requests and reaching over the table. His heavily stitched face glanced down at Sasori, his grin widening as Kakuzu tilted his head. "Don't move yet, Sasori. We can't be sure how your restored body will react just yet."

He only nodded slightly in confirmation as he mentally assessed his situation. So Hidan's deity had done what he said he would. He had restored his puppet body back to flesh and bone, the way it was when he was fourteen. Along with it came the liabilities of the body, but on the other hand it would restore his emotions. Would it hinder him or would it help him heal his heart at long last? Ino looked down at him next, relieved that he was aware. "Hey, can you hear me?" At his nod, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. I trusted him to do what he said he would, but I couldn't help but worry. Can you feel this?" She touched his leg with her finger firmly and he nodded. "Interesting... It's a mystery, just like Hidan's immortality. None of it makes sense. I suppose it really is a miracle."

Sasori nodded again and took note of his body. His heart was beating regularly, and he could feel the breath in his lungs. He hadn't felt this way in so long... "Ino..." Even his voice felt different, though he managed to make it come out in his usual low tone.

"Hey, don't talk yet, I haven't finished analyzing your body. Just get some rest."

He shook his head slowly. "I'm fine. It just feels... strange."

"Well..." She looked over the chart she had been scribbling her notes on. "So far everything seems to be normal. It will take a little while to get used to your body again, but aside from that you should be back on your feet soon."

He struggled to coordinate himself well enough to sit up. Kakuzu quickly held his arm behind the redhead's back to steady him and Ino rolled her eyes at his stubborn nature. Sakura immediately turned around and scoffed. "Hey, you really need to rest now!"

Ino chuckled lightly. "Don't bother, he won't listen."

Sasori smirked slightly, curious at how good it felt to really feel his face make motion. "I feel fine."

Ino relented with a sigh. "Fine, fine. But at least let us help you back to your room. I don't see anything wrong with your body so far, but I need you to rest and get plenty to eat and drink! Promise me that much."

He smiled, the gesture feeling just as odd as the smirk. "I promise." He leaned against Kakuzu's arm gratefully, easing his legs over the side of the table, cautiously putting weight on them. It was so odd to feel his weight resting on legs that he could feel. With the help of Ino and Kakuzu, he managed to walk down the hall and into his studio where he was forced to lay down and rest. Well, he did promise. The short walk exhausted his slowly redeveloping muscles and he was glad for the rest, laying down with a thud.

As soon as the others left, Ino sat down beside him, moving his bangs away from his eyes much like she remembered him doing for her. Her gentle touch sparked something in him, and she saw that he was finally able to blush - and quite a bit at that! She only smiled down at him, keeping her voice quiet. "Are you upset, Sasori?"

He looked at her curiously. "Why would I be?"

"Well... I wasn't sure if you liked what happened to your body now."

He considered this carefully before replying. True, a real body required quite a bit of upkeep. As long as he maintained a healthy lifestyle, he should at least be able to live a long while. Most importantly, in that short time he would really know how he felt. "I don't regret agreeing to it. There are quite a few problems with a real body, but you know... I think Deidara had a point. Fleeting things can be just as beautiful as lasting things. As long as it has beauty, it doesn't matter how long it may last. I know I won't last as long as I would have before, but it was... unsatisfying. With this body I can finally know what it's like to feel things."

She brushed back his bangs again, leaving her hand in place. "Things like this?"

He smiled, the slight blush creeping onto his face again. "Yeah." She got the feeling that he would be a frequent blusher, and she secretly found that cute.

Her hand went down to his neck, rubbing a few tense areas she felt there, noticing that he felt the relief just as keenly. She absently wondered if... Well, there was one way to find out. Keeping her hand steady, she leaned down and kissed him lightly, glad that he no longer felt rigid under her hands. This time he felt warm and comfortable.

When she backed away, he blushed even deeper, but had a slight smile on his face. "You know what else, Ino?"

"What?"

"I think I love you." He was answered with a simple smile and another kiss, leaving the rest of the evening for silence.

* * *

A/N: Whew! Battle is done, and I hope you love the really weird plot twist. Next chapter will be a bit interesting too.


	26. Zeitgeist

And this is... DUN DUN DUN... the last chapter! Time to sing "Final Countdown" and enjoy the fic! Just as it had a sort of prologue, so too must it have an epilogue.

* * *

Part 26 - "Zeitgeist"

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How many years had it been since that day? She was twenty-five, he was twenty-four. Konan's little girl was about to turn ten soon. Ten years ago... it seemed like an eternity. It was ten years ago that Madara had attempted to attack the entire Akatsuki, only to be brought down by Jashin's judgement. That was the same day that Sasori had become completely human again - in more ways than one.

She watched with a smile as Konan's girl Akane leaned over to help pick up the younger child on the grass, five year old Ren. The blue haired girl ruffled his bold red hair messily as she ran off to the other side of the field. Ren only looked back at Ino with his blue eyes wide and curious and she smiled back at him. Akane had been a mischievous girl since the day she was born, just like her mother. She glanced over to Sasori, who had been sitting next to her watching their young son out on the field. "It's about time to get back home."

"Right." He smiled at her before going to pick up the boy gently, walking beside her as they returned to the city. After the fall of Madara, Akatsuki had disbanded but still kept their places in Amekagure. They had found a different means of extracting bijuu from their hosts, making it completely safe for the jinchuuriki to lose their demons. After a demon was extracted, it was destroyed, including the Kyuubi. The demons were no more than weapons of mass destruction, Pein had said, and needed to be eliminated if there was to be any hope of the great shinobi nations uniting. It had taken three years to hunt down the remaining bijuu and destroy them.

After Akatsuki destroyed the final bijuu, they were forgiven by Konoha and their allied countries for their actions, slowly redeeming themselves through kind acts. In the end, Pein had taken the form of a different kind of leader, one that was kind and fair to his people, seeking to cure the world instead of end it. Most surprising of all, he had been granted the right to rule over his nation as Amekage, a new position created to end the warring ways of the rain country. With technology flourishing and Pein's careful watch on their borders, the country of rain had become a bustling nation full of regulated commerce, generating funds for both itself and its allied nations.

She took Ren from Sasori's arms carefully, holding the boy as she looked at his smiling face. "You want to go see Sakura-chan today, little Ren?"

The boy nodded his head energetically. "Sakura-chan!"

That smile sure was infectious! "Well you know what, she's waiting for us back at the hospital! She came just to see us!" After that day ten years ago, Sasuke had returned to Konoha after his fruitless search for his brother. He had done nothing to redeem his actions and even said he didn't intend to, and had been rejected entry at the gate. A year later he tried again, but was finally captured and executed. Sakura had gotten over him long before, and even agreed that he shouldn't be allowed back in Konoha. Akatsuki had done everything they could to be redeemed for the actions, and Sasuke had done nothing.

Today, Sakura was still single but happy with being on her own. She had been a liaison between Konoha and Amekagure ever since, making sure that their countries still held close ties. Ino shifted little Ren to one arm, waving as she approached the compound she shared with the other former Akatsuki. "Hey Itachi!" The last Uchiha waved from his high vantage point on the balcony above. Itachi had said long ago that he found the sharingan to be too powerful and hesitated to revive his clan again. Yet after seeing the girl Akane grow up holding the powerful Rin'negan, his doubts had been quelled by her innocent smile and he had taken a wife for his own to reform his clan. In these days, he believed that if he gave his children the love that he had never received in his youth, maybe they would grow up to be just as pure and innocent as Akane.

Ahead on the street, Kisame was walking next to Temari, who had come to bring messages from Sunagakure. Gaara had long since forgiven Akatsuki for their actions, knowing all too well how easy it was to be deluded by the world. In her excursions, Kisame had been a good friend to rely on in a tough spot, and they had slowly formed a very strange but strong relationship. His joking personality and easy-going lifestyle easily matched Temari's bold and mischievous nature. Those two were always playing some new prank or getting a rise out of someone.

"Hey Ino!" Temari waved briskly, stopping for just a moment. "I need to get a message back to Suna, but I should return in a couple of days. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Ino waved as Temari exited the street. "That's not saying much, you know!" Her smile didn't disappear as the rest of them returned to the compound and sat at the dining table. They had a full house almost every day, the former Akatsuki ninjas and their significant others filling the rooms with laughter and conversation. Itachi's wife Mizumi was cooking dinner that night, the hallways smelling of beef and vegetables. Before long the entire group had gathered, the noise and general atmosphere reflecting the feelings of the times. They were all one big (make that VERY big, with almost every member having a spouse and children!) happy family, brought together by a set of unusual but fortunate circumstances.

A small hand with a mouth on it snuck across the table, the tiny jaws on the little hand about to grab an apple, but Deidara scolded the boy sternly. "Not like that, un. Pick it up with your fingers." He watched with satisfaction as the boy corrected the grab and picked up the red fruit with his fingers, smiling apologetically. Deidara wasn't too harsh on the boy, knowing how difficult it was to control those mouths at a young age.

Akane's blue haired head glanced up at her mother curiously, the steely gray Rin'negan whirling as her joyful gaze met the other's eyes. "What are we having for dessert?"

Konan patted the girl's head softly, smiling down at her. "It's a surprise, you have to wait until you're done with the rest of your food, alright?"

Ino watched as Sasori showed their son how his chakra strings could pick up spoons and forks, smiling as the boy's wide eyes watched every motion. She couldn't help but smile at the large congregation around the table, reflecting on the years past and wondering how she had ended up this way. Everything about it made her happy. Ren's hands suddenly glowed as he shot a short chakra string at the spoon like his father had and her eyes widened with surprise. What a talented kid! She finally burst out laughing, the rest of the table joining in.

After dinner the night set in slowly, Ino taking Ren to his bed in their modest apartment, yawning after a long day. The moon rose as she made her way to bed, relaxing as she settled in next to Sasori. Clouds rolled over the sky lazily, bringing down the rain that only occasionally came to Amekagure, lightning flashing and thunder rolling as a thunderstorm settled in. Ren had gotten scared by the storm and woke them, insisting on sleeping with them that night. She picked him up sleepily, settling him in between her and Sasori and held him close, comforting the boy. Sasori also put his arm around the boy gently, watching as Ren slowly fell asleep. It reminded of a long distant past, when his parents had done the same for him. He was soon lost in his own thoughts when Ino had fallen asleep.

Art is...

Love.

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A/N: Is it over? Not until the fish -fish jumps- Oh. Yep. It's over. Thanks for holding out! Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! Now to look for something else to write about! Can you believe this has reached the 60K plus word count mark? Me neither! Thanks for being awesome fans!


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